


Written in the Stars

by Marsiolus



Series: Among the Stars [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family, Fate & Destiny, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Heavy Angst, Light Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Nyx Ulric Lives, POV Multiple, Platonic Relationships, Resurrection, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2019-11-15 05:37:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 132,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18067592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marsiolus/pseuds/Marsiolus
Summary: Nova Lucis Caelum was chosen by the Gods and blessed by the Draconian with an innate fighting ability that she honed to her utmost peak under the tutelage of the Immortal.Her life as Sword to the Crown was preordained by Bahamut, she was to be her brothers weapon in purging Eos of the Starscourge.But a certain Hero of the Kingsglaive makes her wish for a life that she never thought possible for herself, a life with no duties or responsibilities.Currently takes place after the events of Kingsglaive/beginning of FFXV and will continue through the main storyline.





	1. The Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags will be updated accordingly and summary may change as the story progresses in order to reflect the current narrative.

_"There is a freedom waiting for you,_  
_On the breezes of the sky,_  
_And you ask "What if I fall?"_  
_Oh but my darling,_  
_What if you fly?"_  
_-Erin Hanson_

 

Fall was rapidly approaching the Crown City, gone were the scorching temperatures that left heat waves rising from the cement roads that left the city stifling and heavy. The days were getting shorter and the nights longer as the leaves were beginning to change into brilliant gold and red hues, their rich colors a stark contrast of the deep greys of concrete that comprised of the bustling metropolis.

There was hardly a cloud in the sky as a matte black motorcycle with the Lucian royal crest painted boldly on its side zipped down the Insomnia highways at reckless speeds, weaving between carelessly between the other vehicles on the road with expert precision.

The wind had begun to carry the crisp bite of the approaching winter with strong gusts from the north as well as from the nearby sea, easily cutting through the leather jacket that protected the rider from the brisk air. 

The glistening of the overhead magical barrier that surrounded the city added even more vibrancy to the already stunning colors of the season, a fact that was easily unnoticed by many of the locals who had grown accustomed and even took the crystalline shards for granted, most having never stepped outside of the day safety net that was the Wall.

Any other day, Nova would have appreciated the beauty of the day, would have basked in the last remaining warm sunrays that would lick at her fair skin, she would have peacefully listened to the songs of the birds that were soon going to migrate south to warmer climates, she would have taken advantage of the last nice day of fall that graced the Crown City streets, however those were luxuries and distractions she ironically could not afford, not on this day at least. 

This was the day Nova Lucis Caelum had meticulously prepared the majority of her life for, not that she had chosen this path for herself but then again it seemed as though no one in her family were able to choose their lives without some kind divine intervention being forced upon them. 

_That being said, as royalty, had she ever truly had a choice anyways?_

She shook the cynical thoughts from her mind with a deep sigh and a shake of her head as she pulled her helmet off, freeing her long jet black locks from the tight confines in a swift motion.

Nova was never told she could be whatever she wanted when she grew up, she was to be the Queen of Lucis before it decided she was to be the Sword to her brother, the Chosen King.

Long and quick strides easily took her up the smooth marble steps of the Citadel, through the nearly empty halls and to the training room that had shaped almost her entire childhood, she could not help the overwhelming feeling and sense of pride that engulfed her.

She was given a challenge at a young age and had not only met it, but exceeded the expectations of her mentors.

She was to be the first Sword to the Lucian throne in history. A position which had been more or less created for her after being chosen by the Bladekeeper, Bahamut, to end the scourge with her younger brother Noctis, the Chosen King.

If anyone were to ask her what she recalled about the day both her and Noct were chosen for their respected destiny’s, she would reply with a shrug. All she could remember was not understanding why their father was crying while he had held her little brother.

Personally she could not have been more excited with the fact that she was finally going to start learning how to fight and use magic, as any nine year old would be.

She had not taken into account however that she would still have to maintain her duties and lessons as a princess all the while following a strict training regiment.

Days were to be spent in the library studying Lucian history, proper royal etiquette, formal addresses and protocols. Evenings had been spent being run into the ground, constantly being slapped and thrown around with the wooden practice weapons.

She would practically be a walking bruise most days. Dark blues and rich purples painted her pale and soft skin, eventually turning her frail body in to a harden hide that refused to yield, despite the beatings she received from being on the wrong side of a sword.

For the eleven years that followed, she had put more blood, sweat and tears into the floors of the training room than she could ever have kept track of.

It was those very floors she sat on now, calming her mind to focus on the task at hand.

Nova was to finally be sworn into her position but not before giving a display of her prowess to the full Crownsguard and Kingsglaive combined in an exhibition match against her rivaling yet unifying Shield.

Her mind swirled with a million turbulent thoughts. She found it difficult to focus on one for too long without spiraling more in to the dark recesses of self doubt and uncertainty.

Physically, she knew she had the set of skills required to annihilate anything or anyone that stood in her way.

Her brother and his friend Prompto liked to compare her to the assassins in the video games they loved to play so much, and honestly, they probably were not too far off. 

Nova’s current issues at hand though were more so about the bigger picture; _What if she failed? What if she could not protect Noct?_

_What if the enemy is herself and being stuck in her own doubts? They do not make weapons to kill that._

She leaned against the cool wall of the training hall, with closed her eyes, the sinister thoughts of failure slowly ate away at her nervous. Nova allowed the smells of the room to trigger her memories of all she had endured to bring her to this moment, to calm the rampaging sea that was her own toxic thoughts and calm her mind and soul.

The faint metallic smell mixed with a tinge of musk on the leather training mats, where her blood and sweat had become engrained in the fibers.

The wooden floor which smelled of rich cedar combined with warmth and salt, where her tears had stained the floorboards.

An incredible amount of time and energy had been spent here under the tutelage of her mentor, The Immortal. 

Cor, having joined the Crownsguard at such a young age, had been deemed the obvious and most qualified choice for training Nova when she had been chosen by Bahamut. In the beginning she never took much of the training too seriously.

Sure, Cor had been difficult on her but being gifted by the Bladekeeper had given her an advantage even at such a young age.

She had lightning fast reflexes, total ambidexterity and an uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of her competitors.

Cor constantly pushed her to new limits, breaking her body and crushing her soul on numerous occasions, yet still she rose. Each defeat only chipped away at her childhood freedom and innocence, forcing a kid to rapidly mature as it harden her both physically and mentally. 

Within her first year, Nova had already become proficient at fighting with a blade in each hand, an extension of her own limbs that had taken many in the Guard and Glaive years of strenuous training to perfect.

To say she was gifted would be an understatement.

It all came almost too easily for her but what else was to be expected when she was blessed by one of the Six.

It was not until a few years later when Noctis had been injured by a marilith attack that something within her had changed, it ignited within her a flame she never knew existed, one which still eagerly roared inside her as a constant source of determination and purpose.

Seeing her little brother broken, not just in body, but also in spirit was when she vowed to herself that no one would ever harm Noctis again.

She would do anything for her tiny brother, and if that meant single-handedly taken down the Empire to make sure Noct was safe, then sign her up, she would paint Insomnia red with her enemies blood in order to protect him. 

Gladiolus had begun his training as Shield by her side two years after Nova had began to take her training far more seriously and with a raging passion.

The two of them had been raised together, it came to the point that they were inseparable, especially in the years following her mother's death. She had practical lived at the Amicitia residence, even having her own room in the manor down the hall from Gladio, though she usually slept in his room more often than not. 

With Nova being his senior by only a year, it had made sense for their parents to forge a friendship between the two of them before their duty and titles forced them together, she was to be his Queen and he was her Shield, until the Gods intervened and picked their Chosen King. 

The connection between them had grown quickly and naturally and had turned into an almost sibling like bond amongst them as they grew. This had ultimately meant a friendly rivalry at times, causing them to be incredibly competitive in almost everything they did.

Whether it was on a morning jog that turned into a race or who could eat and drink the most, they each always gave it their all to be the victor over the other.

Although Gladio had usually won at most of their competitions, he was no match against Nova when it came to sparring. Maybe it was the five years of training she had accumulated under her belt before Gladio had joined or from the gift of the Draconian.

Either way, Cor was determined to make them a lethal combat duo which meant daily sparring matches against each other.

As the years past Nova’s skills only continued to improve, by the time she turned sixteen she had almost complete mastery of all the weapons available to her in the Citadel.

Her and Cor no longer used wooden practice weapons in their matches, he cited it would teach her the repercussions of her actions.

“The enemy will look to exploit any weakness they can. You cannot become complacent in your movements. One false step and it may prove your last”.

That mantra stuck with her throughout the years and ultimately defined not just her fighting style but her life in general, in not taking an unnecessary risks that would leave her vulnerable.

If she were to fall, then perhaps Noct would fall and she was not about to let that happen.

Magic was another story however, that was a lesson Cor could not teach or instruct her without threatening to burn down the Citadel so he had pawned those lessons off onto the Kingsglaive.

Elemancy lessons fell to a thoroughly gifted mage who was only a few years older than Nova, Crowe Altius. With her quick wit and Ifrit may care attitude, they became fast friends. Crowe did not give a Six if Nova was a princess or not, she was given a job to teach her magic and damn it if she was going to treat her any differently than her other Glaive trainees.

Warping was designated to Nyx Ulric who was already getting a reputation as a hero in the Citadel, becoming a quick inspiration and mentor to Nova with his no bullshiting and care free attitude. The crooked grin that sometimes graced his rugged features when he watched Nova excel did not hurt either.

He was not in the business of handholding his recruits, so he merely threw her right into the fray. He had been thrown right into the deep end with his training and it worked out just fine, so that was the model he taught his lessons from.

After a handful of lessons with Nyx and a few months perfecting spells with Crowe, Nova was deemed better than most of the Glaive at magic, not surprisingly given it was one of her innate abilities thanks to her bloodline.

All of those people would be here today, everyone who had spent over a decade molding and grooming her would be carefully watching her every movement under a scrutinizing watch. 

All she could do was hope to make them proud.

The approaching match may be Sword versus Shield, but for right now it was the battle in Nova’s head she needed to deal with.


	2. The Shield

_“I didn't come this far,_  
_To only come this far.”_  
_-Tom Brady_

 

“So, uh, what's the deal exactly with this whole Sword thing anyways” Prompto vaguely asked the others while they entered the training hall together, his violet blue eyes and attention falling to the groups of Crownsguard and Kingsglaive that mingled in the large room in front of him, intimidating the young and impressionable teen with their easy air of confidence.

“It is my understanding that when the Crystal chose Noctis, a messenger to the Draconian appeared before King Regis and Princess Nova delivering a blessing from the God himself. The messenger spoke of the princess’s future and destiny, to be the Sword to the King, a warrior of light if you will.” Ignis casually replied with a slight wave of a gloved hand, as if it were the most basic of things to know.

“You know how Gladio is supposed to protect me? Well, Novie is kind of the opposite. It'll be her job to make sure the enemies never get close enough that I need protection.” Noctis added in with a slight dismissive shrug, the princes tone indifferent to the topic, his own eyes glazed over in disinterest to the shuffling and mingling bodies attempting to move from the young prince's path. 

“Huh, you don't say. What do you think big guy? How’s Nov's going to do? Looks like the Glavies are taking bets, Team Sword versus Team Shield, beauty versus beast, a battle of the ages!” Prompto exaggerated in the deepest voice he could muster, enthusiastically slapping Noctis and Gladio on the back while he spoke.

It earned a hearty laugh from Noctis, a little chuckle from Ignis and a death glare from Gladio.

“Want to run that by me again?” the large Shield snorted, looming over the small and skidding blonde with a raised eyebrow. 

_That being said, if I know Nova the way I think I do, it is going to either be a hell of a fight or over before it even begins.._

Gladio eagerly thought, the corners of his lips twitching in to a faint smirk at sparring against his oldest and dearest friend and favorite rival would always sent a jolt of adrenaline through his spine. 

While the others continued on to their seats in the metal stands that lined the walls of the large training room, Gladio made his way to the broken in hardwood floors.

Most of his life had also been spent in this room, and all of it had always been with the woman he was about to fight against, either at his side, or at this throat.

Most of his cherished memories were in that room with Nova. 

Following in his father's footsteps to assume the mantle of Shield had always been a daunting task for the young man. As intimidated as he might have been, he had always taken great pride in continuing his family’s legacy, everything he did was to make the Amicitia name proud. 

The older he got, the taller he grew and the more muscle he bulked onto his frame, filling that mantle a bit easier on his large, strong and heavily tattooed shoulders. 

Gladio trained day in and day out, not just his body but also his mind. He would constantly research new techniques or battle plans in order to achieve his goal of becoming the best possible Shield he could possibly be.

Thankfully, he always had a sparring partner available to test out the newest attacks he had learned. Whether it was Nova or Noctis, depending on if it were the days he was to scheduled to train the Prince.

Nova had immensely assisted Gladio in his training of her little brother. For a while, there were a lot of days Gladio could hardly stand being in the same room as the spoiled and bratty prince. Noctis had practically became the bane of the Shield's existence when he was made his new charge, but Gladio bit his tongue and did his job as best he could with the unruly child. 

It had seemed that the young prince was always a bit more disciplined on the days Nova was there to assist. He would notice a familiar glimmer in the younger boys eyes when he looked towards his older sister, it was the same look Iris had often given him.

Nova just seemed to bring the best out of everyone around her, Gladio not excluded and he was fully aware of that fact. 

She would diligently pick Gladio back up when he fell in his duties to the Crown, whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. However, she would also be the first to give him a reality check and knock his ego down a bit when it had got too big for his own good.

Nova would often tease him saying “You know, if I do my job properly it means you’ll be kind of useless. You'll be more or less a glorified wall ornament!”

That would spur him on even more in his desire to improve, to become the best Shield he could.

He no longer saw the scrawny girl who would pretend to be a fighter with her wooden sword. That image had been long burned away from his mind, even now in front of him, was a woman who had become a lethal warrior, a true Sword of Lucis.

That thought caused him a moment of inner reflection, since he too had walked the long road in becoming the Shield.

As he glanced across the hall at her, he could not hide his smile and longer when he thought to himself _Look how far we've come._

The trails and tribulations of becoming Sword and Shield together created a bond he shared with no one else.

Nova was always his first call, whether it was for heartbreak or joy, praise or scolding, she was his lifeline.

Being an Amicitia, people had always expected something from him. He could hardly ever be himself, not even with the relentless stream of women that came into his life, who had only come for his title and connections and left at the first signs of his true identity.

That was not the case with Nova, it was just easy between them. No expectations, duties or family titles hanging above either of them when they were together.

There was no one else who knew him like her, the fact that she had been there for the majority of his memories certainly played a crucial role in that.

The Amicitia family photo album had just as many pictures of Nova in it as it did Gladio. Even one of a baby Nova awkwardly holding a newborn Gladio.

Nineteen years of friendship had developed an almost sixth sense between them. With only a look at the other, they would know what the other was thinking or feeling.

That is why when Gladio looked across the hall to her now, his heart jumped in pride. She sat on the floor, legs crossed, head against the wall with eyes closed, she looked calm.

From his personal experience, whenever Nova looked this relaxed before a match she had been a sheer force to be reckoned with, he doubted even the might of the Six could stop her.

He knew going into today that she had held some doubts, but to see his Novie in such a peaceful state now meant she fought off some of her inner turmoil, even if temporarily.

Throwing his Crownsguard cap and sweater to the unoccupied corner of the room, Gladio softly smiled to himself as he ran a large hand through his thick and unruly brunette hair before he began his warm up stretches, his mind wander from the scents of the room that triggered the memory of their first sparring match in this very room, Gladio had been thirteen at the time.

Cor and his father Clarus, had decided it made sense for Gladio to spar with Nova, as Sword and Shield they would need to learn to be a harmonious unit.

“There is no better way to learn how to fight together than by first fighting against one another" Cor had told them. And honestly, it would have been great in theory if Nova had not knocked him square on his ass within seconds time and time again.

She had more proper training under her belt and it showed.

Prior to that, he had always held an interest in fighting, he knew from a young age it was to be his life and he was keen on learning.

He had trained alone a few times with some of the dull and wooden practice weapons available at the Amicitia residence and had watched his father on more than one occasion wield them which lead to a basic understanding of how to fight. Gladio would also follow his father around the Citadel to learn what he could from the elder Shield. 

Nova had also told him in great detail about her training with Cor, play practicing some hand-to-hand combat with him before Jared would always split the two of them up before anything got too serious.

During that first match, they had stood eye-to-eye, now he had almost a full foot on her and a hell of a lot more experience having officially joined the Crownsguard the previous year.

Gladio did not plan to roll over that easy, especially with the whole Citadel watching, his pride and ego were on the line here.

However, in his heart of hearts he knew that if he were to lose to Nova, he would not bat an eye about it.

 _Let's be real, it was probably more of a when than if type situation._ He chuckled and shook his head. 

As the room started to fill with people, bleachers held most of the senior members of the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard while the new recruits lined the walls.

King Regis sat with Clarus and Noctis on either side of him. Iris, Prompto and Ignis sat by Noct and Cor was located next to Clarus, all of Gladio and Nova’s friends and family were there to support them.

Across the hall Gladio watched as Nova slowly stood, and gracefully made her way towards him. He followed her lead and met her in the middle of the room.

“Hey, good luck baby girl, you're going to need it" he chuckled with a smug smile and a wink.

All the chatter that was happening only a moment ago throughout the room suddenly disappeared.

Nova’s expression was unreadable, her crystal blue eyes were glacial cold and as sharp as daggers. Behind her clear orbs burned a fire from within that Gladio was not accustomed to seeing.

She had completely disconnected from her usual self, an instead in front of Gladio stood the Bladekeepers champion in all her regel and lethal glory. 

The only sound Gladio could hear as she turned away from him, was his own heart racing as he realized just how royally fucked he was about to be, in more ways than one. 

_Shit._


	3. The Glaives

_"This is my family._  
_I found it all on my own._  
_It’s little, and broken, but still good._  
_Yeah. Still good.”_  
_–Stitch_

 

“Alright boys, you all know the drill!” Crowe yelled amongst the group loud and haggard group of glaives that gathered in the stands, scarred faces from countless battles and black eyes from bar fights looked to the fiery brunette with their undivided attention. 

Crowe placed a hand on one hip, raised a foot on to the bench, and with a clipboard waving around in the other hand she looked about at the motley crew that had gathered around her before continuing, “the betting pool is now open and it will close as soon as weapons are drawn. Talk to myself or Pelna for all your gambling needs.”

In a grand gesture of show, she swooped into her seat between Libertus and Nyx, throwing an arm over the strong shoulders of the men. The two men merely chuckled and shook their heads in unison, not the least bit surprised in Crowe’s antics at this point.

“Who would be stupid enough to bet against the princess, she was gifted by one of the Six, she's a shoo-in" Nyx asked while a sharp and stormy blue eye attempted to catch a glance at the current betting pot on Crowe’s clipboard.

He usually was not one for gambling his hard earned money away, but this seemed like such easy money for him with a definite profit.

“I sure as hell wouldn't, but you'd be surprised, there's already a few chumps in favor of Gladiolus by the looks of it" Crowe answered as she was handed money from glaives in almost every direction, writing down their bets as quickly as the cash flew in front of her face. 

“My girl is going to kick that behemoths ass on the floor, I guarantee it!” she stated with a snort causing the men to laugh again, but they did not doubt her conviction, nor did they doubt the fact that it was something Nova was completely capable of.

None of them had actually seen Nova in action but if the magic training they conducted with her was any indication, Gladio would be hard pressed to hold a candle to her.

During Nova’s training with the glaives, it had become abundantly clear in the beginning that she could produce magic that they could not. Merely in the sense that her spells had been far stronger, her shields superior, her stamina in warping rivaling even that of the seasoned veteran Nyx.

Nova had become not just a good friend but almost a little sister to Crowe, not intentionally of course, but when she was instructed to teach the princess magic, she had brought her under her wing in more ways than one.

There was not a lot of other women in the Kingsglaive or Crownsguard, especially in the same age range as Nova so she had eagerly jumped at the opportunity to befriend the wild and independent Crowe.

Crowe had never treated the princess in any formal regard, never treated her any differently than anyone else and could care less about her title or position in the Citadel.

Life in the Crown City was tough for everyone who served in the Kingsglaive, all of them leaving war-torn towns and villages from outside the wall. Most of the residents of Insomnia had looked down upon them in disdain.

Immigrants, scum, and rats, among some other colorful names they would call them, both behind their backs, and to their face. It was discrimination everyone in the Kingsglaive had experienced firsthand on countless occasions, it become a part of the norm for the soliders. 

It was those very same people who relentlessly fought to keep those ungrateful people safe behind their wall day-after-day.

Nova had never treated any of the glaives in that regard, she had only ever been respectful, appreciative and sympathetic towards their struggles.

Asking questions about their homes, the scenery, the culture and customs, history, what their lives had been like before the Empire attacked. She had a genuine curiosity about life on the other side of the wall but most importantly was that she was compassionate towards the glaives.

And that was what caused an instant connection to form with her and Crowe, the Kingsglaive welcomed the princess in to their ranks with open arms and an open invitation to join them at anytime. 

Through that extension of friendship Nova had also befriended Nyx, given his assignment of honing her warping abilities, they had become fast friends from their close proximity and the mutual friends that were quickly growing between them. 

Nyx immediately admired her determination for perfection, her ability to adapt to whatever he threw at her, both literally and figuratively. But most importantly it was her dedication, her strength, passion, and drive, her kind heart and positive attitude that always made a slight crooked grin appear on his face when she was around. 

Watching Nova had reminded him of a younger version of himself. Most specifically on the occasions when she would question his authority about the lessons he put her through, he could not help the smirk that spread across his stubbled face or the quirked steel blue eye that brightened, it was like looking in a goddamn mirror.

Not that he would ever admit it to anyone else but seeing her had always put an easy and large lopsided smile on his face, even more so on the occasions when he had happen to notice she would stand her ground toward others who would only see the princess and royalty in her, not the strong and passionate woman he knew her to be.

Especially on those many instances in recent years when she would accompany himself and the other glaives for after shift drinks and food in the more seedy neighborhoods of the Crown City. On more times than Nyx would ever care to count, drunk and belligerent men would harass Nova and attempt to hit on her at the bar, trying to shoot their shot with the Lucian Princess.

The first few times Nyx had been protective of Nova like a brother to a little sister, soon that changed in to a different type of protectiveness he did not care to label, not allowing the men to get close enough to her to that they would make her feel uncomfortable.

That was until one time he had been a bit late arriving and witnessed how she would instantly shut down those advances with complete and utter confidence, causing Nyx to smirk in.. Joy? Pride? Either way, he knew she could handle herself and as for those other thoughts, he pushed to the back of his mind.

He would sometimes think that if he had been trained like she had maybe his life would have been different. Maybe, he could have saved his sister.

He tried to dismiss thoughts like that whenever they arose, he was not gifted abilities by the Bladekeeper like she had been, it was futile to compare himself to her in that regard.

When it came to Nova and Libertus, that did not take much effort, if any really, at all.

“Any little sister to my little sister, is a little sister to me!” or something along those lines Libertus had stated one very drunk outing in Little Ghalad, it was enough to bring tears to Crowe’s eyes.

Crowe had finally found the little family she had always wanted and hoped for in those moments, perhaps a bit more dysfunctional than she envisioned but no less perfect.

Now, sitting in the training hall waiting for the match to begin, Crowe was giddy with excitement and anticipation. If the rumors about Nova’s fighting prowess were even a quarter true, this would be a great show.

Nova was too humble to discuss her extensive training, but nothing ever got passed Crowe. She was not naïve, she knew for a fact no one was ever trained personally by The Immortal without showing immense promise and skill, let alone for an entire decade.

And neither Crowe or Nyx were blind enough to miss the freshly pink skin that could only have been deep cuts newly healed with a potion. They did not ask about her scars and in return Nova did not mention theirs when they returned from the battlefield. 

Crowe watched as both Gladio and Nova began to approach each other from across the room, nudging both of the men sitting on either of her sides for them to follow her line of sight.

Crowe, Nyx and Libertus all quickly glanced at each other, nothing had to be spoken between them to know they all felt and thought the same thing. Pride was bubbling up in each of them as they studied the woman in front of them, as they felt the fierce aura that was radiating off of their dear Nova.

They all sat a little straighter, leaned forward a little bit more, focusing all of their attention to this interaction.

“She looks intense, I wouldn't want to be Gladio right about now" Libertus shuddered as he looked at Nova’s vacant and yet determined expression.

He had never seen her this serious, she was usual a ray of light on a dreary day. Today though, she had become the storm.

“I don't think Gladio wants to be Gladio right now" Nyx responded as he saw the smug expression drop from the young Shield's face in a matter of seconds, causing the glaive to smirk and snicker. 

Nyx had nothing against the young man per se, he just merely thought it was about time someone took him and his ego down a peg or two.

Nyx would have been more than happy to do those honors but since it could not be him then there was no one else he would have wished for than his princess.

King Regis rose from his seat to give an address, the room fell silent.

“I must thank you all for attending this friendly exhibition match today as a celebration for my daughter, Nova, achieving her rightful position as the Sword to the Crown. The match will begin momentarily, however a last minute change is in order. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, especially to our lovely Kingsgaive, and what I can only assume is their traditional betting pool-" Regis said this with a smile and a glint in his eye as he winked over at Crowe and the glaives before he continued on with the speech.

“It shall still be Sword versus Shield, however Gladiolus is not the Shield my daughter shall be sparring against this day. Clarus, if you would relieve your son of his station on the floor so that we can begin.”

Jaws dropped, eyes went wide, instantly the room came back to life with hurried chatter.

Regis sat back down next to a smirking Cor who let out the faintest of laughs as he crossed his arms and leaned back.

Crowe using the stunned Libertus and Nyx’s shoulders as leverage, she sprang out of her seat to stand atop it. “Last call for betting” she yelled to the rest of the glaives.

Immediately, money was being thrown at Crowe and Pelna from every direction.


	4. The Sword

_“And one day she discovered_  
That she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire,  
And that not even she could hold herself back  
Because her passion burned brighter than her fears.”  
-Mark Anthony **  
**

“That. Was. HARDCORE!” Prompto eagerly shouted into Nova’s ear as he pulled her into a hug so hard she practically toppled over and took the bouncy blond with her. 

“Ughh, can you not be so obsessed with my sister for one minute. But hey, Novie, that was super badass. I always knew you were an assassin.” Noct lazily smirked and laughed.

The young prince crossed his arms and watched the interaction infront of him unfold, nothing but admiration in his eyes toward his older sister.

A large hand finally freed her from the tight clutches of the young blonde, pulling her into a strong sideways hug, crushing Nova's smaller form against a muscular chest. 

“Can't say I'm too disappointed about getting hauled out of that match after seeing what you did to my father. Still though, let’s reschedule it for another time, yeah?” Gladio asked with an amused grin, his honey colored eyes glinting with respect towards his bestfriend who merely shrugged in his grasp.

“I must admit, I too am rather taken aback at how rapidly you were able to get the upper hand.” Ignis add to the conversation while adjusting his glasses.

“Are you all saying you doubted me? Rude. But it was nothing, really..” Nova tried to casually brush it all off, as well as Gladio’s arm around her shoulders, slightly flustered from all of the attention being thrown at her all at once.

She honestly felt as though she had not done that much, she had just waited for an opportunity to present itself and had seized the moment when it did, although her crystal blue eyes gave way to how thankful she was the match had proven easier than she had anticipated.

_Clarus had charged directly at her with a relentless assault from the beginning of the match, a flurry of attacks slicing and dicing at all angles towards her._

_It had forced Nova into immediately taking on the defensive. She studied him the way a coeurl may stalk its prey, waiting for an opening, for the perfect moment to strike._

_If Cor taught her anything, it was to not take any unnecessary risks. His words rang in her head, as clear as day._

_“The enemy will look to exploit any weakness they can. You cannot become complacent in your movements. One false step and it may prove your last”_

_Everyone watching the battle unfold could only hold their breath, for although Clarus continued his barrage of attacks, Nova had yet to summon her weapons._

_Her agility was astonishing, watching her movements, one could only compare it to watching a dance with how graceful and quick on her feet she was._

_She kept a safe distance, falling into a roll, ducking under a swing, side stepping out of the way. All the while she had started to analyze him, anticipating his movements. She had noticed that he favorited that one side just a little too much, swings a little too wide in that direction._

_Clarus shifted his weight on to his back leg in preparation for a devastating assault, that was the moment Nova had been waiting to exploit._

_Fire erupted in her eyes as she dove in beneath his blade, catching the Shield off guard with such a bold move._

_One foot was able to get through his defenses and that was all she needed to switch his momentum. Swept off his feet, Clarus came crashing to the floor, he was able to leap back to his feet quickly, where an expecting Nova held a blade to his throat._

It was just another day in the office for her, no big deal.

But could she do that out in the field as flawlessly? Would she choke if the day ever came?

Thoughts for another time perhaps, she was going to enjoy this moment for now.

The voices around her hushed, as she turned she saw her father slowly approaching the group of people who had gathered to congratulate Nova.

“Well met my daughter. I must say that I am happy to see your lessons with Cor all these years were not in vain, not that I held any doubt. Go rest now, but know that you have made me proud.”

Nova had to blink away the tears that were beginning to form around the rims of her eyes from her father's praise, it always held a soft spot in her heart on the rare occasions he was her father and not the king. 

“To the rest of you, I hope to see you all this evening at the Gala celebrating our dear Nova’s ascension.” With that said, Regis turned to rejoin Clarus and Cor, who both gave a slight nod and what looked like the beginnings of a smile in Nova’s direction.

Crowe and Iris bounced into her line of sight, each excitedly grabbing one of her arms and pulling her along.

“Let’s go Novie, it's time for a girls day and to make you look like the belle of the ball for tonight!” Iris eagerly chirped with wide eyes and an excited smile. 

Iris Amicitia, who although may have only been eleven, was far too mature for her age and had graciously offered the Amicitia manor as the location for getting ready for the nights festivities.

With the teams of stylists coming in to prepare them, they needed all the space they could muster and Nova’s apartment was not going to cut it.

The trio departed the Citadal after a few more rounds of congratulations and many promises of a round of drinks on them for the night ahead, Nova not help notice that the one person she had hoped to speak with had been noticeably absent.

Raven locks framed her face as she let out a disappointed sigh as she ran a hand through her hair, quickly replacing the feeling with a light and easy smile. 

The excitement of the day was leading into the anticipation for the evening. 

The afternoon flew by in a whirl of food and wine for Nova, but most importantly in the fit of laughter shared from her two surrogate sister’s. Seeing the two of them bond so well, always made her heart swell with joy.

As the evening approached, it was time for the finishing touches before they were to be escorted to the Gala.

Nova went into her room at the manor, photos of her and Gladio lined the oak nightstands that stood against the plush poster bed. Books borrowed from the Shield were stacked haphazardly near the aging memories, their spines cracked and titles fading from the many touches the leather bound pages had endured.

Crossing the room to the walk in closet, Nova quickly unzipped the bag her dress was hung in to see what the stylists had picked for her. She swiftly changed into the gown and looked into the mirror to admire her reflection.

The all black lace evening gown hugged the curves of her figure in all of the right places and flowed out near the bottom. A large slit ran up the side of the gown that reached up to her thigh, showing the long, lean definition of her leg. One arm was sleeved in lace down to her wrist while the other was bare, with the dress on that side merely cupping her breast. Her neck was partially exposed from her long black hair pulled to the side of her body that the dress was sleeved on.

Excitement spread across her face, she knew she really was going to be a show stopper tonight.

She returned to the other girl’s who were dressed as well, Crowe in a red form fitting gown with a halter top and Iris in a black and green ballgown with a sweetheart neckline.

Both of their eyes went wide as they saw the approaching Nova, a few whistles coming from the girls in good fun.

“Damn girl! You're going to turn heads in there tonight. You know, it's a shame a certain someone is going to be on duty and won't be able to fully appreciate this little number" Crowe said with a suggestive eyebrow raise and wink, while chugging back the rest of her wine.

“That might make it even more fun, make him watch from afar, see that he’s missing out on all of this" Nova jested back with a laugh and a dramatic gesture towards her figure as she did a slight twirl.

With a groan in response to their comments, “Ugh Crowe, don't condone her crush! But seriously though, you look amazing.” Iris said “Can we go already? I don't want to be late and Noct should be here by now.” And started to lead the charge towards the door.

“Speaking of crushes..” Nova quietly whispered to Crowe, fully aware of the budding infatuation Iris had for her younger brother. Glancing at Crowe, they smiled to each other while following Iris out to the vehicle awaiting them.

Between this dress and how her day had progressed so far, she was oozing with confidence, she could not remove the smile from her face even if she wanted to.


	5. The Princess & The Hero

~~~~_“The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence.”_

_-Beyonce_

 

Inpatiently waiting in front of the Amicitia residence to pick up the girls was Noctis, Prompto and Ignis. Iris had cheerfully bounded up to the trio of men with a quick greeting,

“Hey Noct! Are you excited for tonight?”

“Um, yeah, it’ll be interesting” Noct half heartedly replied, definitely not looking forward to tonight, but at least for once the spotlight would be taken away from him and placed completely and utterly on his sister.

If he played his cards right, he might even be able to sneak out of his royal responsibilities a bit early.

If the gala was for anyone else other than Nova, he probably would have tried to get out of it entirely. But Shiva bless his sister, Nova was his idol, protector and friend, and she had just signed up for a life of killing for him.

He could never bail on her when she was willing to potentially sacrifice so much just for him.

“My word, you look stunning my dear.” At those words, Noct followed where Ignis was looking and saw Nova appear from the manor.

“Hey, you don't look half bad Novie.” He said in jest, just cause he was feeling sentimental did not mean that she had to know that.

Besides, what kind of brother would actually compliment their sister anyways.

“I’ll take that over whatever you have going on, what is this, Just-Rolled-Out-of-Bed Chic type look?” Nova replied with a smile and poke to her little brother's ribs as she glanced over his wild hair, unbuttoned jacket and untucked shirt.

“Ignis, I’m appalled that you could let him leave the house in this state, who are you?" she continued with a wink and smirk to the Advisor.

Roaring with laughter at the interactions taking place before him, Prompto chirped it, “Iggy put up a solid fight, but once Noct pointed out we were going to be late, it was game over!”

Sighing in exasperation at the truth of it all, Ignis opened the vehicle door and motioned for everyone to get in, a slight pinch of his nose spoke volumes over the words he did not say. 

“Thanks Specs, let’s get this show on the road already" Crowe said as she took her seat.

Ignis drove the large vehicle, Prompto sat in the passenger seat snapping photos of them all, Iris had not surprising called dibs on sitting with Noct in the middle, leaving Crowe in the back with Nova.

Nova had realized she was with the best seat buddy when Crowe hauled a mini flask out of nowhere and gave her a wicked grin.

Between her already sky high confidence and now some liquid courage thrown into the mix, Nova could not help but be excited to have some fun with her friends and blow off some pent up steam.

The Via Caelum Resort was electrifying with the event, Crownsguard, Kingsglaive, Council Members and the well known families of the city comprised of the attendees of such a historic moment in the cities history.

The moment that Nova had entered the hall, every head in the room turned to admire her. It would have been a bit intimidating, but she looked good and she knew it. Or was that the booze and wine talking, whatever she was going to own it, this was her night after all and Shiva damn it if she was not going to bask in every moment of it.

King Regis drew the attention of the large room at her approach, “On behalf of myself and my wonderful family, I would just like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for being in attendance tonight for the ascension of my beautiful daughter, Nova. Also, to those who helped guide my daughter on her path, whether it be as a mentor or as a friend, we are grateful. Nova, if you would come to Cor and Drautos to be sworn in.” He motioned to the men standing on his left.

Nova took great graceful strides, her regal poise made it look like she floated across the room to stand in front of both the Marshal and the Captain.

It was a quick process, a few oaths made, a few documents signed and with that she was sworn in to the Crownsguard and the Kingsglaive, the first to be in the guard as well as an elite solider.

She would work independently from both, but yet each would aid her if need be. She could come and go from each training facility as she saw fit and have their resources at her disposal.

After a few rounds of greetings with the prestigious families that were gathered to congratulate her, she finally was able to slip away and towards the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive companions she would prefer to spent her evening with, the friends and comrades she did not need to have a royal facade with. 

Nova's slightly hazy blue eyes eagerly searched the crowd until spotting Crowe and Libertus leaning against bar ordering drinks while mingling with Pelna and Luche, she slowly made her way through the group's of people and towards her friends.

Seeing them both use their magic over the small glasses they held and began to produce a small flame as she realized that ah yes, they were absolutely doing shots, flaming Galahd whiskey if she were to guess, it was going to be one of those kind of nights.

Before long she had caught up with the glaives, in more than a few different ways. The whole time though she kept her gaze scanning the room, trying to figure out where he was stationed for the evening, the large crowd that was present had certainly not helped her in that endeavor.

After a few more rounds of drinks Nova gave up with a resounding sigh, if she saw him great and if not, he would hear all about it tomorrow anyways. The Gala continued on with more drinks, laughs and dancing.

“Hey baby girl,” a gruff voice behind Nova at the bar said, “I don’t know about you but I think it’s only appropriate that the Shield gets at least one dance with the Sword." Taking her hand, Gladio lead Nova to the dancefloor.

“Doesn't sound like you're giving me much of a choice, shall we?” she laughed in return, following his lead.

  __

* * *

Guard duty on the night of the most historic Gala Insomnia had seen in ages and for no less the woman he considered a close friend was the absolute worst, he definitely drew the short end of the stick on this one, but that is what he gets for running his mouth off to Drautos again.

 _I really ought to know better by now_ he thought as he let out a defeated sigh at the circumstances he had placed himself in. 

All of his friends were inside enjoying themselves, at least from what it sounded like as the music and laughter reached his ears on the rooftop patio.

 _Why did the rooftop patio even need a guard anyways?_ He thought. It was mid October and the bite of the air would deter anyone from stepping foot up there.

Hours passed this way, without a soul to be seen but he stood ever vigilant to his post.

His grey blue eyes scanned the skyline as he admired the view of the Crown City, it was not to his tastes with the tall skyscrapers and artificial lights but he appreciated it nonetheless, the soft footsteps the had appeared directly behind him jolted him from his thoughts.

“I’ve been wondering where you were, you must have really pissed off the Captain for him to station you away from everyone. Hope you don't mind some company, unless you're working on mastering this whole dark and brooding thing you have going on.” Nova snickered as she quietly approached the stationed solider she had caught daydreaming on the job.

It was the first time he had seen her since she left the training hall earlier that day, he had regretted missing the opportunity to speak with her but duty and Drautos had demanded his attention elsewhere after the match.

Where a lethally trained solider stood in front of him earlier, was now a beautiful princess.

The transformation causing his heart to flutter and his jaw to go a bit slack, a sensation he quickly attempted to disregard.

“I’m actually very busy, as I’m sure you can tell, but seeing as it's you, I'll make time. And you know me, I'm a sucker for punishment.” he said with a charming lopsided grin, his steel blue eyes lighting up as he met her crystal blue ones and a small smirk spread across her fair features.

Not overly concerned about being under strict orders to not associate while on duty, he continued on, she was royalty after all, she was his boss in a really, not even a bit, roundabout way.

“Sorry I can’t be there to drink you under the table though, I hope you haven't made too much of a scene down there yet. Would be a bit awkward if the guest of honor has to be escorted out for being drunk and disorderly.”

“I’d do it if it meant you were the one escorting me.” She replied with a sly grin.

“Don’t tempt me Princess, it can be arranged” he replied with a wink.

“It is a shame you’re missing out on all the fun, that being said, there’s space to breathe without your ego filling up the room, so that's a nice change of pace."

“What can I say, I just have that effect on people to take their breath away.”

“If only Drautos was one of those people, you might not be stuck up here with just your ego,” she finished by leaning onto the patio railing.

“This view is stunning up here though, isn't it?” with a soft smile, she looked over to him with a slight glimmer in her eyes.

He had always thought Nova was a pretty girl, there was no denying that. Standing here with her now though with the lights of Insomnia reflected in her brilliant blue eyes, the magic of the wall painting her raven hair with a myriad of colors, and that dress, Six forgive him, but do not even get him started on that and the way it hugged her curves in just the right places..

She was a gorgeous woman and regal in every sense of the word. There was those thoughts creeping into his mind again that he always tried to push away.

She made him happy.

“The view is beautiful beyond words.” he replied with a smirk.

 _Although,_  he began to think,  _it is much better now than it had been all night._

“You should see the views back home though, stars as far as the eye can see, moonlight reflected in the ocean waves, a warm breeze rolling through your hair.” He longed to return to the beaches and a peaceful life.

“I would love to see Galahd one day, from what you've told me, it sounds like paradise.”

“Then we’ll go" he replied naturally without missing a beat he continued on, “I never had the chance to talk to you after the match, but you were incredible. I figured you would be, I mean, how could you not when you had me training you" he said with a playfully smug smile.

She turned to him and could only laugh and reply in return, “Whatever you say Hero.”


	6. The Sword

“ _The universe mixed her with whiskey and honey.”_

_-Adrian Michael_

 

The next morning was not Nova’s friend, in fact it had to be the very bane of her existence.

The light her enemy, her headache a villain but worst of all was the traitorous sounds of Crowe stomping heavy footed in her living room at an ungodly hour. 

Slowly and carefully, Nova built up the energy to sit up, she had enough foresight the night before to have pain killers and water sitting on her nightstand, knowing full well how needed they would be. 

Taking the slightest sip of the lukewarm liquid though had caused an immediate involuntary reaction, her stomach did not want anything near it. 

Sprinting to the bathroom in oversized sweats pants that threatened to trip her that she had no recollection of changing in to as best she could, she hugged the toilet, waiting for what she assumed was her inevitable death with how she felt.

“Good morning beautiful!” Crowe said behind her, with as much pure enthusiastic sarcasm as she could muster, sipping on a rich and strong coffee that made Nova's stomach turn even more as the smell hit her like a brick. 

“You ought to know by now that Galahdian whiskey and you do not get along, this happens every time. Also, speaking of Galahd, did you ever find Nyx last night?”

“Um, yeah, he was on the rooftop” Nova managed to get out in between heaves that echoed up from the porcelain, the bile and old whiskey on her tongue made the heaves stronger and more frequent as she attempted to pull her long dark hair from her sweat soaked skin. 

“Ouu, romantic! So how did it go? When's the wedding? Can I be maid of honor? Scratch that, I am maid of honor, Iris doesn't approve of your crush since it's not her brother and I'm older, so dibs!” Crowe eagerly pressed, thoroughly ignoring Nova's self inflicted misery with a wicked grin behind her coffee mug. 

“Crowe, it's not even like that.”

Finally feeling a bit better, Nova was able to pick herself off the floor and splash some cool water on her face, looking in the mirror, Nova noticed her fair skin was even paler as the hangover gripped on to her with claws latched in to every cell of her being. 

She had spent quite awhile on the rooftop with the glaive, not that she was about to tell that to Crowe, the woman would look way too much in to the friendly interaction after all.

Nyx had inflated his own ego, Nova flirted and brought it back down to size, they both laughed, it is what the two of them always did, there really was not much to say about it. 

_Although, he did say about going to Galahd together.._

She had not thought enough about that detail yet, she would have to dissect those words later when her head was not so foggy and bogged down in pain.

“Fine, but my dibs still holds. I need to head out for duty now, I'll call you after just to make sure you're still part of the living.”

With a strong slap to Nova's back, leaving the already disoriented Princess a staggering mess, Crowe left with the sound of her chuckle echoing in Nova's head. 

Making her way back to the comfort and safety of her bed, Nova knew she desperately needed to sleep her hangover away.

Hours had passed, with the fall sun having stretched far past it's peak when Nova awoke, the dull tentacles of a headache behind her eyes was all that remained of her former pain.

She was finally beginning to feel like a real person again and no longer knocking on death's door, though still not totally ready for the real world yet, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand. 

Missed call from Big G  
Message from Big G  
Message from Baby Brosickle  
Message from Hero

Nova casually scrolled through each, _might as well start with Gladio since he had also called._

Big G: Sleeping Beauty, lunch with me and Iris?

_Well, it’s mid-afternoon now so that one is out the window, on to Noct._

Baby Brosickle: Dad wants us to do dinner soon, also, game night tomorrow?

_Tomorrow is a tomorrow problem, next._

Hero: I want to make it up to you for not being able to hang out last night, call me.

Her heart leaped at those inviting words, a smile spread across her entire face.

Without even so much as a bit of hesitation she hit dial, it only took one ring for a husky voice to pick up.

“Hey Princess, how are you feeling today?”

“I feel great, thank you very much."

“Just going to straight up lie to me, huh? And here I thought we were closer than that, that hurts Princess" he laughed “I know you were into the Galahdian whiskey, we both know what that does to you.”

“Is this like some kind of common knowledge the glaives learn during your daily briefings or something, cause Crowe said the exact same thing" all Nova could do was laugh back, because honestly, they were not wrong, they had her pegged and she could not deny it. 

“Anyways, you asked me to call you, what's up?”

“Well, do you have plans tonight? I figured you'd be a hurting mess and I know just the spot that has the remedy. My treat since I couldn't buy you a round of drinks last night."

“My Hero, you sure do know the way to my heart,” Nova threw in partially because it was true, but also hoping for some kind of reaction, “Just give me an hour and text me the address.”

“I do what I can Princess, see you soon.”

With that, Nova had found a burst of energy and a renewed spirit she did not think she was capable of that day. It did not take long her to shower, today was not hair wash day and since it was still curled from last night she just had to rinse off and then quickly change.

Looking at the address Nyx had texted her, Nova realized that she would have plenty of time to get dressed, so she laid back on to her bed in a towel and called Gladio.

“Sup?”

“Hey big guy, sorry I missed your message I only just got up."

“No worries, I'm just getting ready to head out on a date, we’ll talk later yeah?”

“Me too! Maybe, sort of, not too sure actually.."

Gladio snorted “Poor chump, tell me about it tomorrow?”

“Deal.”

_One person down, one to go._

“Ew, why are you calling me?”

“Wow, hi, love you too.”

“If you want to talk then just come over, the door is unlocked” and with that, Noct abruptly hung up.

With a sigh, Nova got up off of her bed and made her way across the hall to Noct's apartment.

It was the deal he had struck with their father, he could have a place of his own, away from the Citadel but it was to be in the same building as Nova. So they compromised and had the whole top floor rented out for just the two of them, tearing out the other apartments and creating two spacious units. 

Swiftly barging into her brothers apartment she saw him and Prompto both sitting on the couch with their backs to the door playing video games.

“Rude, you hung up on me. Hey Prompto." she said while ungratefully flopping in the free leather recliner near the blonde.

“Oh, um, hey Nov's! You look, uh, good" Prompto awkwardly smiled, his face turning all kinds of shades of red as he tried not to stare at Nova's toned and exposed legs. 

“Novie, could you not be half naked around my friends, I think it just broke Prom.”

“DUDE! Not cool.”

“I have a towel covering everything, thank you, besides, it's only Prompto, I'm just making his fantasies a reality" she winked at the poor blubbering blonde before continuing. “Anyways, yes to game night tomorrow. I'm going out for a bit, so if you need me, call Ignis instead. Cool? Love you, bye!”

“I won't, love you.”

 _Why did she even bother with this miscreant half the time_ she thought with an unimpressed eyeroll and sigh as she rose from the chair. 

Ruffling Noct and Prompto's hair before heading back to her apartment, she had only made it to the entryway when she faintly heard Prompto sigh and say “She has finally blessed me" before what definitely sounded a lot like a solid smack and a tiny yelp.

Nova quickly put on a pair of jeans, a simple black t-shirt and black booties with a slight heel, grabbed her leather coat and keys from the hanger and she was back out the door.


	7. The Hero

_“She was the type of girl the moon chased_   
_And stars wished for.”_   
_-K.K. Lall_

 

If there was one thing Nyx Ulric knew in this Gods forsaken world it was that he was a good looking man with his piercing steel blue eyes and lopsided grin. He was also aware he had the confidence, charisma and personality to back it.

Which is why he could not comprehend how giddy he felt when Nova had agreed to meet with him, it was almost embarrassing how antsy he was as the time ticked by at an excruciating speed. 

Nyx had paced a route in to his tiny and broken apartment, photos of family long lost and friends recently made watched his frantic steps with unblinking eyes atop his small desk. 

He prayed to the Six and the Gods of his homeland to speed the clock up and end his suffering. The fridge was opened and closed countless times, unfocused eyes scanning the bare contents that lay inside with complete disinterest. Channels were flicked through, dishes done, and wet clothes hanging, yet he continued to watch the ticking hand with an offending gaze. 

His thoughts spiraled around one key subject, how Nova was a beautiful woman with the confidence and charms to back it up as well, Nyx Ulric had finally found his match and equal and he could not get enough of it. 

For a while now, they have had a bit of a flirtatious relationship, but it was all in good fun, or at least he had believed it was on his end up until last night. 

She had completely captivated him, under that autumn night sky she had stood in front of him looking as though she were an Astral incarnate, Shiva herself he had thought, her ethereal beauty taking his breath away with just a subtle glance or flicker of a smirk on her lips. 

Nyx was completely smitten, that image of her under the Lucian sky burned into his brain and his heart. 

She had genuinely seemed disappointed that he could not celebrate with her last night, almost as much as he had been in not partaking either. 

 _Why not take advantage of that opportunity_ he had thought

She had wholeheartedly agreed, not that he had thought she would decline but he had not been prepared for how eager he would be at such a normal occurrence between them. 

Throwing on dark jeans, a grey long sleeved shirt with his leather jacket, he made his way through the crowded streets of Insomnia with an extra bounce in his step and a subtle smirk on his ruggedly handsome face.

What he would give to be away from the concrete and metal jungle that had become his home, the bustling crowds hindering his path to the restaurant.

 _No, not home_ he thought, Galahd would always be home. The Crown City just happened to be where he lived at this time.

Thinking of Galahd he remembered his conversation the previous night with the woman he was about to meet with. He had meant it when he said about taking her to Galahd, he would whisk her off her feet with only a moment's notice and never look back, Nova just had to say the word. 

But if she had heard him say it, she never acknowledged it.

 _Probably for the best anyways_ he thought, dismissing and crushing his own hopes before they could come to fruition.

Nyx was just a glaive, a solider in her father's army, trained to kill their enemies and nothing more. He was certain Nova would probably end up with the self-invested Gladio one day, with the history and titles she shared with the young Shield, it would make sense. 

 _Oh wow, jealousy is not a good color on me_ he spitefully shook the thoughts away, who was he even becoming.

Nyx was never one to back away from a challenge though and if he saw even the slightest opportunity to wiggle his way into her heart, then the only thing that would stop him would be Ramuh striking him down where he stood.

He was a bit early as he walked around the corner of the street where the quaint restaurant was located. He was only mildly surprised to see Nova already waiting for him in front of the building, casually sitting on her motorcycle.

Looking up from her phone at the sound of approaching footsteps, Nova noticed as he neared her, her face slightly lighting up at the sight as she gave a small wave.

His stomach instantly flipped and his heartbeat picked up.

 _What is wrong with me, it’s just Nov's_ he thought to himself, attempting to calm the pounding in his chest.

“There's my Hero" she said, stepping away from her bike and towards him in a few graceful strides. 

“And there's my Princess.”

Nyx gave her a hug when he got close enough, breathing in the soft smell of coconut in her hair, the smell of home easing his nerves, causing him to place a small kiss on top of her head in a subconscious action. 

He froze from the action, it was out of character for their relationship yet Nyx reveled in how right it felt. 

“So, what is this mysterious remedy you have enticed me with?” she asked with a smile as she wrapped her arms around him, returning the embrace and either ignoring the kiss or  choosing not to comment on it. 

“A meal spent in the presence of my ruggedly handsome looks and charming personality, of course.”

Nyx may have felt like a complete an utter sap on the inside, but he was not about to let that show quite yet.

With a glint in his eye and a sly smirk on his face, he grabbed her hand and lead the way into the small restaurant.

The term restaurant was being generous for the place. It only had a handful of mismatched wooden tables and the entire place would fit comfortably in Nova’s living room with ample space to spare.

It was dimly lit, with candles being the main light source on the tables and around the room. The walls were lined with leather bound books, shelves holding a variety of herbs and spices, as well as the odd piece of artwork.

One might even say it had a slightly romantic vibe to it, while still being casual enough to not look overtly suspicious in his choice of venue.

It smelled of exotic spices mixed with sweet citrus. To Nyx, it was the flavors of home. He lead Nova to a small table in the corner, being the ever vigilant solider he was, he sat with his back to the wall in order to monitor if anyone who came in was a threat.

Being the only two people there, it had taken no time for them to order and have their food delivered. They chatted throughout their meal, conversation and laughs coming easily to them both. They sat there for hours in this fashion, just enjoying each other's company.

They talked about everything and yet nothing, but Nyx felt it was what they did not say that truly spoke volumes. The brushing of hands that lasted a bit longer than necessary, the lingering gazes when the other was not looking, that sparkle in Nova’s eyes when she smiled that would ignite a flame in his heart.

Perhaps he was only noticing these things because he hoped they were there and that they were not just in his head.

Nyx also could not help but notice how the dim light of the candles highlighted the soft curves around Nova’s lips, how it reached up her face and down her neck. How her eyes held a sensual dance from the flames, mesmerizing the man.

“I have to give credit where credit is due, you were right, those kebabs were miracle workers" Nova said as she slightly leaned back in her chair, a soft smile twitching at the edges of her full lips.

“Although, when you said we could go to Galahd, I was thinking more along the lines of a trip with beaches and sun, not just a Galahdian restaurant for a meal.” With that she gave a sneaky smile, leaning forward with elbows on the table to carefully watch him and his reaction. 

Nyx could not help but to openly laugh at that, he was busted and she knew it. He could see her staring at him intently to judge his response, Nyx was not one to disappoint a lady begging for his attention.

Slowly and meticulously he rolled up his sleeves to showcase his forearms, flexing slightly when the muscles were exposed in the candle light.

He had a suspicion it was a weakness of Nova’s, something Nyx had noticed she stared at with hungry and longing eyes every time he did it, he was here to play hardball now.

_There it is._

Her eyes glanced across his tanned skin and toned muscle of his arms, the sinews taut and discreet tattoos on full display. 

He followed Nova’s example with elbows placed on the table, leaning forward ever so slightly as he raised an eyebrow and struck a roguish grin.

“You've been around Crowe too much, nothing gets by you" he said with a slight shake of his head, the braids whipping over his shoulder at the motion before landing once more behind his back. 

Shrugging with a slight smile, she said nothing, allowing him to stew with his next words for a moment.

Nyx never cared to be cautious or timid so he just decided to put himself out on a line.

“The best thing about Galahd is sitting right here, and you can have a piece of it anytime you want. Just say the word Princess.” He added a wink for good measure.

That had caused her to laugh, that wonderful laugh that made his heart soar and his soul brighten up.

“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind. But if that whiskey from last night was any indication, I don't think I get along very well with things from Galahd.” With a sly grin, she continued on with a wink.

“Besides, you'll have to try a bit harder if you want this Sword to cut off a piece of that sweet Galahdian ass. And even if I did want it, I'm an all or nothing kind of girl, so a piece just wouldn't cut it Hero.”

Hook, line and sinker.

Nyx was putty in her hands and they both knew it, he was living for every moment of it as a large lopsided grin spread across his stubbled face, grey blue eyes burning with a passion that had been newly lit. 


	8. The Sword

_“She wasn’t looking for a knight,_   
_She was looking for a sword.”_   
_-Atticus_

 

Slowly and reluctantly the pair left the restaurant, Nyx walking Nova over to her bike with his hand lightly grazing the small part of her back. Turning to face him, she could not hide the soft smile that was beginning to form at the creases of her mouth. 

She had always enjoyed her time with the glaive and tonight had been no exception.

Nyx reached out and brushed a stray piece of her dark hair from her face to tuck behind her ear. Before he was able to pull away she grabbed his rough and battle worn hand, placing the calloused palm to her silky smooth cheek, but not before giving it a light kiss.

If that had taken the man by surprise, he never showed a reaction. She felt the calloused pad of his thumb rub across her cheek causing her to lean into the welcomed touch.

“Nov's, will you go on a proper date with me?”

Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest, eyes wide, she looked at the man standing in front of her, a longing in his steel blue eyes she had never noticed before.

“Of course I will Nyx.”

“Next weekend work?”

“It's a date” Nova said as she smiled at that.

Nyx still had his hand on her face when his other one wrapped around her to bring him closer to him to kiss her forehead. 

"It's a date" he quietly whispered, placing another kiss to the top of her head with an easy lopsided grin on his face. 

Nova wanted more of the man, the sweet smell of his musky cologne mixed with leather clinging to her as Nyx stepped away. Before she had the opportunity to reach for him, her phone rang, quickly ruining the moment as it was the ringtone designated for Cor, a call she could not ignore.

“I have to take this, next weekend?”

“Next weekend, me, you and a date that will ruin all other men for you.” With a wink and a wave, Nyx started to walk away as Nova took the call.

“Marshal”

“Nova, I need you to come to the Citadel and to your father’s study.”

“Got it, I'm on the way.”

And with that she put her phone away, started her bike and shot down the streets of Insomnia, the delicious smell of Nyx at the forefront of her mind and tangled in to her long locks that wafted inside her helmet.

Arriving at the Citadel in record time, she left her motorcycle parked by the large front marble steps. A move which had always irked the security teams at the gate but one they never said anything about, so she kept doing it.

Nova casualty strolled into her father’s study, heavy oak bookshelves lined most of the walls from floor to ceiling, each shelf meticulously stacked with Lucian History, Ancient and Medieval Spells as well as multiple volumes of the Cosmogony. 

Maps and documents lay strewn haphazardly across all available flat surfaces of the study, battle plans, military funding, daemon reports. Anything that pertained to the Kingdom and it's citizens was within reach for the Lucian King. 

Regis sat on a cozy leather sofa near the large stone fireplace with Cor and Clarus directly across from him on an identical couch. The light of the roaring fire softened the expressions of the three men in front of her, each looking ten years younger in the soft glow of the cozy room. 

“My dear Nova, please, sit with me” Regis motioned to the available spot beside him.

“Of course father. What is this about?”

Laughter erupted from the king before turning his gaze to Cor, “I do believe she has spent too much time with you in her formative years, cutting right to the chase without pleasantries is the mark of Cor, The Immortal, if I have ever seen one.”

“You say it as though it were a bad thing. Why waste valuable time with unnecessary banter. Nova, we called you here to inform you of your first mission. It’s a simple enough reconnaissance excursion, the Empire has set up a base in the Leide area. You are to only observe and report back your findings. While you are out there though, the King has another duty for you to perform.”

With that, Nova’s attention was brought back to her father who had produced a key from his jacket pocket. Handing it over to her, he began his explanation of it.

“There is a tomb, not far from the base location which holds the power of our ancestors. I want you to go there and collect the royal arm for your arsenal.”

Shocked and slightly speechless, Nova looked from the key to her father and back again, “The royal arms are only for the ruling King’s and Queen’s to wield though.” Her voice small from confusion at the request she knew her father was familiar with the traditions behind. 

“Traditionally speaking, yes. However, anyone in the Lucis Caelum bloodline can harness them. I believe it to be imperative that the Sword have every available weapon at her disposal, do you not agree?”

“I agree father, thank you. When do I leave?”

“Immediately, you are to take your motorcycle to Hammerhead where an old friend of mine will assist you from them.”

Rising, Nova bowed to the king and gave a nod to both the Marshal and Shield before departing the room.

Her mind swirled as she made her way through the Citadel, a recon mission should prove to be easy enough, but even if she were to leave immediately it would not give her much time before dark to make it to Hammerhead before the daemons came out of the hellish pits they resided.

Nova attempted to call her brother to let him know she would not be home for a while, but the young and stubborn prince was clearly trying to prove a point and let it ring. Gladio was on a date, so she did not want to bother him, that left one person.

Hitting dial, it only took one ring before an accented voice picked up.

“Iggy, I need you to do me a favor, can you tell Noct that I'm being deployed and probably won't be home for a bit? I don't know how my cell service will be beyond the wall and he’s being a snob and won't answer my calls.”

“Of course my dear, I’ll head over immediately and inform our Noctis and attempt teach him some proper manners.”

“Thank you Iggy, you're the best!”

“I know, do take care.”

With that settled, Nova jumped on her bike and throttled the gas, daylight was creeping away and she had no time to lose.

She managed to get to Hammerhead in record time, definitely breaking more laws in one trip than she had done in her entire life, but if it meant getting to the station before the daemons began popping out of the ground, then so be it.

Pulling into the pumps a blonde woman in the shortest and tightest shorts she had even seen came striding over to greet her.

“You must be the princess Pawpaw's been waiting for. Can't say I was expecting royalty like yourself to roll in on a beauty like this though. Name's Cindy by the way, Pawpaw is over there by the garage.. don't suppose you'd mind if I took a quick look over this girl while ya chat, do ya?”

Nova smiled at the woman, her bubbly personality reminding her of another blonde, she liked this Cindy already.

“It's all yours” she replied with a smile as she made her way to the garage. Sitting in front of it was an older man Nova had recognized from one of the photos in her father's study, much older looking but undoubtedly the same one who had accompanied her father around Lucis years before. 

“Reggie’s daughter, can see it from a mile away. Name's Cid, Reggie called asking for my help but it's getting late now, go eat and sleep and we'll talk in the morning.” With a dismissive gesture, Cid sent her on her way without a second glance. With no room to argue the order, she made her way back to the blonde woman.

“She’s a right ol' beauty, we don't see too many Crown City vehicles out here but I know for certain I've never seen one like this before" said the blonde as she marveled over the bike.

“I would hope not, it’s a custom make. It was a gift for my 20th birthday, The Lucian Supernova it's called. They thought they were being clever and punny with the name" she chuckled, it was a bit too cheesy of a name her tastes but the bike was a beast of a ride she loved. 

Nova chatted with the woman until the sun dipped under the horizon and the dessert heat gave wave to a crisp bite in the air. Cindy asked Nova to let her tinker with the bike for the night which Nova happily obliged to.

Nova made her way over to the available caravan parked on the edges on the station lot. It had been a whirlwind of a day, she was completely exhausted but sleep did not come easily, the sounds of daemons in the distance making her feel uneasy, even with the soothing smell of Nyx still clinging to her hair.

Morning came quicker than Nova would have cared for, having spent the night tossing and turning, a mixture of anticipation and excitement bubbling within her. She checked her phone but either no one had messaged her or her phone did not work beyond the city limits, it was hard to say at this point.

Nova made her way out to the parking lot, stretching as she went to behold the most gorgeous sunrise she had ever seen. The sky painted in shades of red and orange that never made it past the magical barrier. She took out her phone and took a photo, wanting to hold onto this breathtaking image when she was back to Insomnia.

Having arrived at the station during the hazy hours of dusk, Nova had not had the chance to taken in the desert landscape that surrounded her. It was barren and tough at first glance, a hard and rocky terrain that was not for the faint of heart or the weak souled, yet it held a charm she could not quite place. 

Ordering a meal and a coffee from the diner, she brought it over to the garage, she was not sure what time Cid would be up so she thought she would sit and eat at the table and chair outside of the station she had spotted the previous night.

She did not even have the opportunity to sit before being greeted.

“Betcha haven't seen a sky like that hidden behind that wall of yours, Reggie’s gone and spoiled you, haven't shown you what you're missing out here.”

All Nova could do was hum in response, not being able to confirm nor deny that allegation.

Nova and Cid made small talk while the woman ate her breakfast and sipped her slightly burnt coffee, it was not satisfying but it would do the trick well enough.  
Before long, Cindy had strolled out to join them, covered in grease from head to toe but with a smile that was almost as bright as the early morning sun. 

The blonde began to enthusiastically go over everything she had done to the bike, new suspension, frame sliders, exhaust system, tires and headlights. Most of it had gone right over Nova’s head in a bunch of gibberish, the mechanical lingo too much for her caffeine deprived mind. 

“So, pretty much, it’ll be louder, brighter and faster?”

“That's about the gist of her, if ya don’t scare the daemons away with the lights you'll be able to outrun ‘em faster than you can blink. She about lives up to her name here now!”

How Cindy had accomplished so much just over night was beyond Nova, but she could not have been more appreciative.

By mid morning, Nova was back on the road after receiving a few supplies and a map from her gracious hosts. She made for the next outpost, it seemed to be about the half way mark between her two missions so it made the most sense to travel to.

By early afternoon she had a royal arm within her possession, one mission accomplished, one to go.

Nova has decided her best course of action would be to find a vantage point to observe the base from and then hightail it back to a nearby haven before the daemons came out.

She kept this routine for days, each new morning would bring her sitting alone watching the base from a new location, taking as many photos as possible and even more notes.

Each night she slept under the stars, they really did go as far as the eye could see.

Now she understood why a certain glaive had longed for his home, Insomnia paled in comparison to the open sky and terrain the countryside had to offer.


	9. The Shield

_“I am not perfect._  
_I am sometimes selfish._  
_Occasionally self destructive._  
_And prone to very brief, yet very severe spells of sadness._  
_But I would fight until every bone in my body was broken to protect you._  
_That's a promise.”_  
_-Beau Taplin_

 

Gladio had not heard from Nova the day after her “may or may not” have been a date, which had seemed out of character for her but he attempted to dismiss it despite the nagging voice in his head that said to do otherwise.

When a few days had also passed in this same fashion, the young Shield was ready to demand the King send out a search party, with himself at the helm of the charge.

Gladio was anxious, nervous, scared but he was mostly just frustrated. He had been too self absorbed about how his own date would go to worry about Nova’s.

He should have asked her questions about this guy she was going to see when he had been given the opportunity.

 _What's his name? Where are you meeting him? Describe in vivid detail what he looks like and what his approximate height is so I can pick him out of a lineup if you get murdered_.

“Shit, I'm spiraling.” He sighed, trying to rack his brain as to who it could possibly be.

She had not mentioned to him about seeing or liking anyone recently so it could not have been anything too serious. But if it was a just for fun type situation, she would have brought that up to him as well.

_Who was this guy and why was he different?_

Drawing a complete blank, he grabbed his phone to call the only other person he thought would have an answer.

“Amicitia, how can you pleasure me this evening?”

“Crowe, I'm not in the mood for this right now.”

“Fine, I'll break down your will one of these days though, just you wait.”

With an exasperated sigh, Gladio ignored her last statement and just went on about the purpose of his call, “Look, I just wanted to know if Novie told you who her date was with the other night? She hasn’t been answering my texts or calls and I’m worried she's locked in someone's basement or worse.”

Saying that out loud had done absolutely nothing to calm his already fragile nerves, if anything it made his worst nightmares more of a reality to hear those words out loud.

He was ready to murder someone, he had failed to protect the person who meant the most to him.

“I don't know what you're talking about, she never said anything to me about a date. But now that you mention it, I haven't heard from either.”

Crowe promised to investigate what she could on her end, she already had an inkling of a suspicion but could not be positive without further inquiries.

That had not relieved any of the stress Gladio was currently facing, if anything that had immensely escalated it. If it was someone Crowe knew, that must mean he knew them as well, which meant they were in the Citadel and were trained to kill.

 _Yup, spiraling again_ he angrily thought.

Enough was enough at this point, he could not wait for Crowe to call him back so he grabbed his keys, heading to the Citadel in order to talk to the person he knew acted the most rational under pressure and crisis situations.

The commute was quick, and even quicker than that he was storming into the office of the royal advisor.

“I think Novie's been kidnapped, or murdered, or both. I need you to set up a meeting with the King immediately.”

Emerald green eyes stared sharply above the glasses that gingerly rested on the advisor’s face and into Gladio’s soul, weighing his words carefully. Seconds felt like hours to the Shield before he finally got a response.

“Do you have evidence of this? Was it the Empire? Do you have an informant out there? I need all the facts before I can make such claims to warrant a meeting otherwise there will be serious repercussions.”

Not properly understanding the meaning behind the words Ignis had spoke, Gladio merely grew angry. He did not need to be questioned right now, he needed assistance to inform the King.

“She went on a date the other night and I haven't heard back from her since, I think that warrants a pretty big fucking red flag!”

“While that truly is uncharacteristic of Nova, was this before or after she was deployed? I had not been informed of her return if it was the latter.”

Confusion spread across the Shields face so suddenly it was as if Ignis had slapped the man.

_Deployed?_

“What are you talking about Iggy?” Gladio’s patience wearing incredibly thin at this point, a hint of it slipping through into his tone.

“Our dear Nova was deployed Saturday evening and her return date was unknown at that time. At least she did not communicate an end date with myself when we spoke. Today is now Wednesday, so I will ask you again, was this date that transpired before or after she had been deployed?”

Too stunned for words to form a proper response, Gladio flopped into the chair across from Ignis, absorbing this information, letting out a simple “huh” as his answer.

The lack of a well formed response was all Ignis needed as validation from Gladio that the date had indeed been prior, so he continued about his paperwork until the larger man was ready to talk again.

_Why hadn’t she told me she was being deployed? She didn't even try. She also didn't tell me about this mystery man she was seeing, not that I asked, but still._

Finally, Gladio looked back to the advisor seeking answers, “Why did she tell you?”

Ignis, paying no mind to his friend and his lack of tact, merely responding with a sigh at the situation and set his paperwork aside for the time being.

“She had tried to contact Noct, who was not answering, and if memory serves me correctly, which it always does, you were on a date that evening. So, via process of elimination, I became the one privy to this information.”

Gladio had no words.

He was relieved someone had not kidnapped his Novie, but angry and frustrated she had left him out of the loop. Not to mention he really did have to worry about her being killed if she was deployed.

With a quick nod and thanks to Ignis, Gladio made his way to the training room, he had some steam he needed to let off.

First though, he called Crowe, “False alarm, just talked to Ignis, Novie was deployed, call off the search.”

“Are you sure? The target is in my sights right now.”

“Yeah, it's all good.”

“If you say so, but now my curiosity is piqued. I'll let you know if my suspicion is correct?”

“I don't want to know.”

Too angry and defeated, he did not want to add insult to injury at this point.


	10. The Mage

_“She overcame everything that was meant to destroy her.”_

_-Sylvestor McNutt_

 

Since she had spoken with Gladiolus that morning about their shared friend having been on a date where neither of them had known who it was with, Crowe had made it her soul purpose in life to find out the culprit.

And the first and only person on Crowe’s incredibly short list of suspects went to a certain Galahdian bachelor that she would easily be able to wiggle the information out of was none other than Nyx Ulric.

Crowe had been friends with him long enough to know his tells if he were lying to her, so it would prove to be a quick enough mission. If it did prove to be Nyx though, then she knew he would not be the one responsible for her disappearance.

 _Unless it was some new kink he was in to, honestly wouldn't surprise me_ she thought with a snort.

However it would pose the bigger question as to where exactly had Nova gone, she would never just willingly drop off the grid without telling someone, most specifically her or Gladio.

At least by going to find the Hero to investigate, she could draft him into the search. With his skill set, Crowe knew Nyx would be invaluable in finding Nova and in the elimination of anyone who hurt her, he would tear Insomnia apart if it meant Nova's safety and well being was on the line. 

Crowe's search for Nyx brought her all the way to the Kingsglaive training grounds, whether it was her day off or not she was getting to the bottom of this.

As soon as she saw the Hero in question supervising the new recruits in their warp training, she received word from the young Shield to stand down, but it was personal now, she was too invested in finding out.

Nova might have been located but it sure did not answer this puzzling date situation she had been on. Besides, she had spent enough time with her current target to ignore such orders.

_Nyx would be so proud._

Casually strolling over to stand right beside her fellow glaive with a wicked smirk on her face, she did not have to interrogate Nyx about Nova’s whereabouts, she could have a bit more fun with it, play with her food before chewing it if one would.

“What are you doing here today? Shouldn't you be terrorizing the bars of Insomnia by now?” Nyx asked with a snort as he gave an inquisitive look as to her sudden appearance.

Nyx knew Crowe well enough to know that she avoided work at all costs if she did not need to be there.

“That was the plan, but then I found out something that piqued my interest way more” the woman commented back as nonchalantly as possible.

“Must be real interesting if it’s coming between you and a day bender.”

Crowe could see a flicker of curiosity flash behind his grey blue eyes, “it absolutely is. You see, some information has come to light that I couldn't ignore because I’m too damn curious.”

“Intrigued, continue.” Nyx replied with a side eye glance while he maintained his observation of the training recruits who kept falling short of their target and dropping to the rocky ground mid-warp.

“Well, I have it on good authority from a highly reliable source that a date was had the other night.”

Crowe had not made it through life as an orphan by being naïve, life had not been easy for her living on the streets. A child was made to mature quicker than they should have.

She had learned quickly to adapt to her surroundings, she never let her guard down but most importantly she had learned to read subtle body language that would be telling to reveal a person’s true intent.

People could lie right through their teeth without a second thought, but a person’s mannerisms and eyes would speak of a different story. The eyes being the gateway to the soul could never lie once she knew what to look for.

So, when she saw Nyx discretely shift his weight, his Adam’s apple bob the tiniest bit, and the twitch of his lips almost wanting to smile, she knew she was on the right track with the man and her suspicions.

Crowe strode over to stand in front of him, arms crossed, looking directly into his eyes, “You see, this date took place on Saturday night with our dear friend Nova.”

Steel blue eyes quickly glanced at her, lips definitely beginning to curl up with the subtlest of twitches at the corners. 

_Busted_

“So it was with you, I knew it!” she shrieked, partially in joy of being correct but also she had been painstakingly waiting for the two of them to stop flirting and just do something about it for longer than she cared to dwell on.

“Technically your information is wrong, it was just dinner between friends,” Nyx gave her a wicked smile with a glint in his eyes, “the real date is this weekend.”

“It’s about God’s damn time, Ulric.”

He did not respond, just shrugged, smiled and maintained his composure of supervising.

“You're getting old, you need to settle down before you lose those looks, no one is going to want you with just that personality.”

“I have a charming personality and I'm 28, I'd hardly call that old.”

Shrugging with a slight sigh, “it is in our line of work.”

Crowe’s statement had shifted the atmosphere to be more somber than she had meant. It was heavy and true, a burden they both shared, fighting wars made their lives a ticking time bomb.

She tried to lighten the mood again by cracking a smile and elbowing her fellow glaive in the ribs.

“Gladio wanted your head on a stake you know, well not you specifically cause he didn't know it was you Nova went out with. But he’s not going to be too happy with you when he finds out” Crowe laughed at the man’s sharp glare at the end, knowing full well the two men did not particularly get along.

_Just two alpha males in a battle of the egos._

Snorting Nyx responded, “I’m never on his good side anyways, why stop now. He's too uptight, Nov's is a grown woman, she can do whatever she wants.”

“It was more so that he hadn’t heard from her since that night, thought she was tied up in a basement somewhere. So Ulric, did you tie her up and is the do whatever she wants doing you?” she gave a suggestive eyebrow raise to the man who could only scoff and glare at her in return.

“Anyways, turns out she was deployed, told her brother's care taker over him, so you'll live to see another day.”

She talked with Nyx for a bit longer before heading to Little Ghalad, she was already incredibly late for her bar hopping tour with Libertus.


	11. The Sword

_“A true friend encourages us, comforts us, supports us like a big easy chair, offering us a safe refuge from the world.”_  
_-H. Jackson Brown Jr._

 

Nova had spent five days out in the barren and vast expanses that was the deserts of Leide. She could have returned sooner, but she was determined to be extremely thorough in her reconnaissance mission.

Plus, an interesting phenomenon had occurred while out in the field that had caused her a great deal of worry, there had been a few instances she had not able to summon any of her weapons or use her magic.

A minor scuffle with some sabertusks that had left a slight slash on her arm would have been a whole lot easier with some weapons, but hand combat had become her niche in battle long ago leaving her to not been in desperate need for her arsenal, not this time at least. 

Not having them readily available had truly unsettled the woman though, it ripped away a sense of security and left Nova feeling on edge when she felt the Crystal's powers unavailable to her. 

Nova returned to Hammerhead from her own self imposed exile to the wasteland, upon arrival she immediately set out to speak with Cid, perhaps he could explain it a bit more.

The older man was sitting in his usual spot in front of the garage, paying the Leide heat of day no mind as an oversized umbrella protected him from the scorching rays.

He had not even greeted her before she bombarded him with questions.

“What do you know about the Empire’s technology? What are they planning? Have they created a jamming device against magic? To what extent will it work?”

If the man was phased, he never showed it, scratching his chin as he motioned to the seat across the table, “Have a sit and we’ll talk.”

Nova spoke with Cid throughout the morning, both speculating on what exactly it could all mean and what the Empire was planning.

“I reckon with tech like that, it would put Lucians in a sore spot. That's a game changer, not sure if it'll do anything to that Wall but it ought to do something in battle if they make ‘em portable.” Cid had said, and Nova could not have agreed more.

With farewells and the promise of staying in touch, especially when it came to Cindy fine tuning her bike more, she sped down the highway and back towards the Crown City.

It was a few hours later and mid afternoon by the time she reached the Citadel. Rushing the front stairs two at a time, she sprinted down the meticulous marbled hallways, her path cleared from bystanders as they saw the Princess's mad dash to Cor's office in hopes of an immediate meeting with the Marshal.

Luck was on her side, as she reached the corridor where his office was located, the Marshall in question just in the process of unlocking his door.

The sound of fast footsteps struck his attention, following their sound to see Nova quickly approaching him. Her long dark hair wild and in knots from wind, her jeans leather jacket and boots covered in sand, dust and a bit of blood. It only took a brief glance for Cor to realize that she had only just returned.

Holding his door open, he gestured for her to enter his office. “You were successful in your mission I presume?” not even waiting for Nova to sit down before beginning his inquiries.

She nodded in return, retrieved her notebook and went through everything she had witnessed. Most of it was fairly mundane, shift rotations, approximate amount of MT's stationed, the amount of vehicles coming and going.

When she had brought up the lack of ability to sometimes summon her weapons while in close proximity to the base, it did not seem to surprise the man the way Nova had anticipated it would.

“We have received such claims from the glaives in the past, their magic not working near certain bases. Since they carry their weapons on them it was strictly to the extent of their warping and elemancy use. We could not be sure if it was the link between them and the King’s magic being severed, however if you experienced it as well then it is most likely a jamming beacon used against all magic.”

Cor did not show much emotion on a good day, but he had said all of that so nonchalantly, as if he were simply talking about the weather. Nova was mortified from it all, being the first time to have heard any of this.

“You would do well to follow the Kingsglaive’s example and carry a weapon on your body during future excursions. You did well, leave your notebook with me and send me the photos you took and I shall present them during the next council meeting.”

With that Nova was dismissed. In desperate need of a shower and rest she made her way to the motorcycle she had left idling in front of the Citadel and drove home.

She had hardly even been back in her apartment for a moment before the door behind her swung open again. She saw a flash of blue and next thing she knew she was on the floor being held tightly, black hair covering her face.

“I’m so sorry I didn't answer your call, I was being childish. I'll never do it again, you can call just to say hi and I'll always answer from here on out. I love you Novie.”

For the first time in a week, Nova let out a roar of laughter. It might have been partially from exhaustion, partially from her brother finally showing some emotion but either way she could not stop the fit of laughs that had overtaken her.

“I love and missed you too baby brother. You're getting soft on me, not too cool to show that sweet sentimental side anymore, huh?” she said as she squeezed her brother back.

“Don't get use to it, I only said I wouldn't ignore you anymore not that I was going to be sappy.”

Noctis got back up, helping his sister before hugging her one last time. “You look awful, you might want to clean up, the big guy is on his way over and he is not happy with your disappearing act.”

“I would hardly call doing my job as disappearing.” She waved him off to go jump in the shower.

Washing all of the sand out of her hair had proven more annoying than she expected, on the brink of collapse, she wrapped herself in a robe and laid on her bed. Her eyes were only closed for a brief second before the sound of her front door opening jolted her back to reality.

_I need to start locking my door._

Heavy footsteps rapidly pounded toward her bedroom door, Nova did not have the energy or motivation to sit up now that she had finally relaxed for the first time all week. Nova merely rolled over to get a better view of the door and awaited the inevitable lecture from her best friend.

Gladio appeared in the doorway, his large frame filling the empty space as he loomed down at her, the look on his face would have been imposing to any other person that was not his bestfriend who had grown accustomed to his scowl.

His reaction was instantaneous, the moment his warm amber eyes met with Nova's cool blue ones, it was as if a switch had flipped, his face softened, a deep sigh leaving his chest.

Peace had overcome the pure anger that had raged behind his amber eyes.

“Next time, call me before you leave.”

It was not a question or a statement, it was a plea from a man who spent a week of sleepless nights worrying about his close friend.

With promises to not drop off the face of Eos again without at least attempting to contact Gladio, Nova recounted her days in the desert to the man.

Curled up on the couch together he listened intently, thanking the Six it had only been a recon mission and that she had been in no immediate danger.

It had not taken long before soft snores began to escape from Nova, snuggled on the warm and safe embrace of her Shield, Gladio's arm draped around her as she was finally able to relax and rest comfortably.

Gladio paid the woman resting against his chest no mind, he merely picked up a book he had left on the table beside him and began to read. He would let her sleep as long as she needed, for the first time in days the young Shield also allowed himself to unwind as well.

A few hours later and half a book read, Nova shifted under Gladio’s still resting arm. Carefully he lifted it, allowing the woman to groggily sit up.

Sleep in her eyes, hair matted to her face from being pressed against Gladio’s chest for so long, she slowly looked around before her crystal blue eyes fell into amber ones.

“I never asked how your date went, do I have to worry about another jealous girlfriend coming after me about falling asleep in her boyfriend’s arms?” she laughed as she spoke, not because it was necessarily funny but because it had happened a concerning amount of times in the past.

Gladio shrugged and smirked in response, “Nahh, probably won't see her again. What about you? How was your date? Do I have a jealous boyfriend threatening to fight me for his girlfriend curled against my chest? He’s not just using you for your royalty right?”

“I'm seeing him again this weekend, but no he could care less about titles and royalty. He’s fully aware of how we are, and I'm pretty sure confident enough in himself to not let it bother him.” she smiled in return.

Gladio merely hummed in response, it seemed all a bit too good to be true but he would voice his concerns when he got more information.

Their friendship had been a controversial topic for a fair number of both of their previous relationships and flings, he would be hard pressed to believe that it would not happen again.

The two friends spent the evening together, ordering in food, putting a movie on and lounging on the sectional couch. Nova laid back with her feet resting in the Shield’s lap, while he reclined into a comfortable position.

They laughed and made fun of the cheesy low budget action film they had put on until Nova’s phone had begun to ring. She quickly sat up to pause the movie and answer the call at the same time, Gladio only gave her a quizzical look in return. 

“Welcome home Princess" came the sultry voice on the other end, “tomorrow, be ready for 6pm, don't eat before and dress warm.”

Smiling into the phone, which earned her an even more suspicious look from her friend who watching her with eyes as sharp as the eagle that was tattooed on his torso, she answered “see you tomorrow, Hero.” And hung up.

“What did the all mighty Hero want?” Gladio asked after Nova had hung up.

“I'm seeing him tomorrow, he just told me what time to be ready.” She replied with a sheepish grin.

Amber eyes narrowed, Nova could see the wheels turning, putting the pieces together. It did not take long before his eyes widen as realization struck him, followed by an immediate deep groan from his chest,

“Seriously, Ulric?!”

 _There it is._ She thought, continuing her sheepish smile.

“Novie, he's a notorious womanizer and flirt, you can't date him.”

The woman crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in Gladio’s direction in an act of defiance, Nova did not need to say anything to convey her thoughts to her lifelong friend.

He merely scoffed at the look, “that's different, I'm not trying to date you.”

Still not buying into his lack of an argument she sat in silence, the same unimpressed look on her face.

“Fine, I just don't like the guy. He’s arrogant, cocky and too damn full of himself.” The man remarked, annoyance clearly laced his tone.

“All I'm hearing right now is the pot calling the kettle black.”

Gladio sighed in defeat while Nova could only sit back and laugh.


	12. The Hero

_“You are the one I waited for,_  
_The one I can't deny.”_

_-Mark Anthony_

 

Nyx was a man who walked a fine line between impulsive and cautious, organized yet chaotic. So when it came to his date with Nova, he had a general idea of what he wanted to do but for the most part he was going to just let the evening take them wherever it did.

He arrived at Nova’s apartment door right on schedule, he had hardly even knocked once before the door flew open.

She stood in front of him wide eyed and smiling. She was dressed casually in black jeans, knee high boots with her leather jacket and a scarf. Her long black hair tied up with a few rouge pieces framing her face, crystal blue eyes entrancing his soul.

“Princess” he said, bringing her into an embrace with a kiss to the top of her head.

“Hero" she hummed into his neck as she returned the embrace.

Goosebumps raised along the man's neck and it took all of his will power to not shiver from her breath on his skin.

“Ready to go? Or would you rather stay in my arms all night?”

When she pulled away he struck a roguish grin.

“Not a chance, I was promised a date that would ruin all other men if I remember correctly.”

“A night in my arms is the best way to ruin other men for you Princess.” With a wink and a sly grin, Nova could only give him a playful smack in return

“So anyways, what’s the plan for tonight Hero.”

Nyx smiled at the woman and casually put his arm around her shoulders, she cozied into him wrapping an arm around his waist as they walked through the crowded streets of Insomnia.

“Well, at first I was just going to do what I always do on dates. Take you to dinner, win you over with my stunning good looks, my usual tried and true method.”

Nova gave him a dramatic eye roll while he laughed and continued on, “But, I thought about it and I can't take not only the Princess and Sword of Lucis, but my Princess on any old date. So, we’re going to The Festival of Fire and Water, a holiday celebrated in Galahd.”

His home had always been a point of great pride for the man, and to share even a bit of it with someone who meant something to him made it even more special.

Throughout their friendship over the years, Nova had always made an effort to learn about his culture and heritage. She absorbed it all like a sponge, her interest in it is what made Nyx knew it would be an activity she would enjoy and not partake in otherwise.

Nyx could see the flash of excitement spread across her face, which only solidified his thoughts about this being a good plan.

“Does it represent anything in particular? How is it celebrated? Am I dressed acceptable for it? Is it appropriate that I'm there since I'm not Galahdian?” 

The questions had flown out her at such a rapid pace it took the man a moment to register everything she had asked. He gave a small chuckle and smile before diving into his explanation.

“First, in Galahd to simplify the festival, it represents balance. We don't have snow on the islands so for us, they are opposing elements. Fire and water are mutually destructive, where one represents life and creation, the other represents death and destruction. You cannot have one without the other, so, balance.”

Nova nodded at this, blue eyes glistening as Nyx spoke, holding on to his every word.

“Secondly, traditionally it was celebrated by lighting fires and torches along the beach for those we have lost while enjoying the company of those still here with music, so that comes back to death and in this case, creation would be creativity in the arts. It's been turned into a block party more than anything now, but the key features and sentiments are still there.”

She hummed in understanding at his explanation.

“And lastly, and I can't stress this enough, you look beautiful Nov's, and it is more than fine that you're there and not Galahdian.” Nyx tightened his grip around Nova’s shoulders, pulling her closer in order to place a kiss in her hair.

This earned him the sound of that delightful laugh he was beginning to cherish.

The closer to Little Galahd they got, the louder the sounds of music and laughter were that reached their ears. The smells of smoky spices mingled with sweet aromas were heavy in the air.

Weaving through the throngs of people, Nyx lead Nova to the heart of the crowd, where she looked around in amazement at her surroundings.

The street had been closed down to traffic and in its place were rows upon rows of food vendors, artwork and street performers on display showcasing the delicate dance between the two elements. A band performed traditional Galahdian music where people danced in front of the impromptu stage, others sat and sang from their balconies above, drinking and enjoying the festivities from their homes.

Joyous faces surrounded them, people of all ages had come to embrace and enjoy the lively atmosphere.

There was so much happening around them, that Nova had a hard time focusing on just one thing before something else caught her eye. Nyx on the other hand only had his eyes on the woman under his arm.

“Nyx, this is incredible. Where do we start?” the elation on her face and twinkle in her eye, caused his stomach to do flips.

“Wherever you want, lead the way Princess.”

Nova lead them throughout the crowd, they spent the evening eating and drinking all types of Galahdian delicacies, watching street performers twirl fire around on chains as if being able to wield it themselves. Appreciating artwork showing the dynamics of fire and water and the immortal battle the elements fought.

Nova had no shortage of questions to throw at Nyx and he was happy to oblige.

As the evening grew into night, the streets were lit not with the harsh lights that littered the Crown City streets above, but with the soft glow of fires burning, whether from the intricate statues that was a fusion of water and flame or from candles lit on every available flat surface.

They sat at a small table hidden away from the crowd, sharing a plate of deep fried sweets and sipping on Galahdian seaweed gin. They discussed their week, Nova told him about her deployment and her experiences in the desert while he explained his interactions with Crowe involving their previous dinner and the training in of new glaives.

The whole while, Nyx could not help but to stare at the woman across from him. The flames from nearby candles woven in her crystal blue eyes.

_That is the true dance of fire and water._

Slowly she stood, making her way around the small table to stand in front of the man, reaching her hand out to him.

“Dance with me.”

Her tone left no room for questions, strong and firm. Nyx would have never denied her anyways but the way in which she spoken had stirred within him a hunger for more.

Both of them being elite trained soldiers gave them an agility and gracefulness with their bodies that could not be replicated by mere civilians. Their movements so refined, complimenting that of the other, an intricate dance between them captivating the onlookers around them

They only had their eyes on each other.

Nyx would twirl Nova away at arms length only for her to spin back into his waiting arms, dipping her low before sweeping her above him. They were perfectly synced with the music and with each other.

As the melodies slowed, so did the duo. His arms around her waist, hers around his neck. Swaying softly, Nyx had never felt more anxious and content at the same time.

A hoard of daemons at his back? No problem. An army of Imperials charging at him? Got it.

Sharing an intimate moment? Complete wreck.

Nyx had been the definition of a bachelor since joining the Kingsglaive. He owed his life to King Regis and would willing lay it on the line if it was necessary from him. Most women came and went in his life because of that, his inability to see them as anything more than a passing distraction and their refusal to be a second priority.

He needed a strong, independent woman who understood his duty to the crown would take precedence.

A woman who would share his passion and devotion to his duty, someone who was in a similar situation to himself.

 _That's Nova_ , he had hoped.

Every fiber of his being wanted to pull her close and steal her lips for his own, for once, he pushed his impulses away.

_Don't rush, savor it, cherish her._

Attempting to ground himself and his nerves, Nyx placed his forehead against Nova’s, she hummed peacefully in response and closed her eyes.

“You did pretty good Hero, I enjoyed this.” Nova whispered, still slowly swaying in his arms to the music around them.

“Pretty good? Ouch. That hurts, Princess.” He dramatically reached for his chest, as if wounded.

She laughed and gently pushed him, “I'm serious, thanks for bringing me to something that is important to you. Most dates I've been on have usually been to these exclusive restaurants where the guy just wanted to showboat me off to their snobby friends.”

“Glad I could be of service in humbling my Princess with allowing her to mingle with the peasants for a change.” Nyx teased with theatrical bow to her. “But honestly, you’re not just some prize I’m looking to show off, you're so much more to me than that.”

He cupped her face in his hand, the urge to kiss her yet again at the forefront of his mind. Instead he kissed her brow and reached for her hand pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

“It's getting late, I’ll walk you home but first can we swing by my place?”

Nova gave him a skeptical look causing him to laugh in return.

“Not for that, although I wouldn't complain. I have something I want to give you, also, still not what you’re thinking.”

With that said, Nyx lead the two of them through the crowd. It was a quick walk to his apartment a few blocks away. He unlocked the door allowing Nova to step in first. While she took in his modest studio apartment, he hurried over to his gear.

Hesitant hands quickly found what he was looking for, it was the right move he knew, regardless of what was between them came to fruition or not.

“I want you to have this. If you're going to be getting deployed more often you need to be safe in the field.” Arm outstretched he passed Nova one of his Galahdian forged kukris.

Shocked clear blue eyes looked from the weapon to his determined steel blue eyes and back again. “Nyx, I can't take that.” She shook her head, hands held up.

“You can, the craftsmanship is better than any Insomnia forged blade. It's solid, balanced and made to kill. Keep it on you out there, I might not be there to protect but at least my blade will be.”

Reluctantly she accepted it but not before embracing the man holding it, “I'll always carry it with me, thank you Nyx.”

“Anything for you Princess.”


	13. The Sword

_“You go through life wondering what it is all about but at the end of the day it’s all about family.”_

_-Rod Stewart_

 

Sleep had come easily for Nova that night, dreams of endless starry skies, the melodic sound of waves crashing on land, grey blue eyes starring back at her.

She wanted to hold on to the last clutches of sleep a bit longer, revel in the warm, cozy feelings it gave her, but the bit of sunlight creeping around her curtains and her phone ringing tormented her into finally getting up.

“Hmm?”

“Did I wake you? Between you and Noctis, I don't know how anything will ever get done when I'm gone.” Regis chuckled into the phone. “Speaking of which, do tell your brother to come to the Citadel this evening, we’re past overdue for a family meal. And if you would come this afternoon, we have much to discuss.”

With a grunt in response, Nova hung up and hauled on a sweater before making her way across the hall to her brother's apartment.

The smell of freshly brewed ebony greeted her as she opened the door, with a quick look in the kitchen she saw Ignis fastening her a mug of the bitter nectar.

Accepting the coffee, she continued her look around, “Noct?”

“Sleeping still, though with it being late morning he should wake shortly.” The advisor replied, sipping from his own mug.

As if on cue, the young prince stumbled from his room and onto the couch. Grabbing her ebony, Nova followed her brothers suit, kicking his legs so that she could sit. He only moved his legs long enough for her to get situated before flopping them down into her lap.

“Dad said dinner tonight” Nova told him as she sunk more into the seat, eyelids feeling heavy again.

“M'kay, you going?” came the mumbled response from Noct, face hidden behind a cushion.

“Mhmm.”

“I shall never tire from the meaningful exchanges you two share" Ignis deadpanned from the kitchen.

“Would you expect anything else?” Nova asked while taking a gulp of her coffee.

“Not where you two are concerned. Sentiments have never been either of your strong suits.”

Nova snickered at that, earning a warning kick from her brother, she was not about to tell Ignis just how sentimental her brother had become after her deployment, but Noct did not need to know that.

“Noct, what are you doing today? Want to have lunch?” Nova asked her brother as he finally began to sit up.

“We're already having dinner, isn't that enough sibling bonding?” he grumbled.

_Rude, maybe I should have told Iggy how sappy you are._

“Fine, I’ll see you tonight. Feel free to torture this one a bit today, would you?” she said to Ignis as she made for the door.

“I'll see what I can arrange.”

“Thanks Iggy, I'm keeping this mug” with that, Nova made her way back to her own apartment, contemplating what to do with her day. Her eyes fell upon the blade Nyx had gifted her with laying on top of her table.

_Might as well see what this baby can do._

Before getting ready she texted Gladio saying if he wanted to spar then she would be in the training hall for the day. She changed into leggings, strapping her new kukri around her thigh, put on a mangled sweater, pulled her hair in a ponytail with a ball cap and grabbed a change of clothes for her family dinner before heading to the Citadel.

As Nova parked the bike in her usual spot near the Citadel steps she saw a convoy of vans pull in behind her.

_Kingsglaive._

She looked up the steps to the voices hollering above and sure enough, the glaives were making their way to the vehicle's dressed in full battle armor.

At the head of that charge was Drautos, who made towards her, “Always room on the expedition for one more, your highness.”

Nova smiled softly at the man, and with a polite refusal, the Captain continued on his way.

Not far behind was her favorite trio of misfits.

“What did Drautos want?” Libertus asked her when he got close enough.

“Asked me to come whip you lot into shape.” Nova laughed in return.

“If you were there, maybe this one would finally listen to some commands" Crowe added, giving Nyx a slight push with her elbow.

“I take orders, I just happen to ignore the ones that don't make sense.” Nyx shrugged, clearly aware it was a battle he was about to lose. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Crowe and Libertus gave knowing looks to each other before saying their farewells to Nova, leaving her standing there with Nyx.

Before the man had a chance to say anything, Nova grabbed his hand, forcing his grey blue eyes to look into her clear ones.

“Be careful out there and don't do anything too heroic, I want you to come back to me in one piece, you got it?”

His eyes seemed to come to life, a newborn fire ignited behind them, a lopsided grin spread along face.

“Now that's one order I can follow Princess.” He leaned closer to hold her and whispered in her ear, “Also, really into this whole you wearing my blade on your thigh look.”

He kissed the top of head before running off to the nearest van, where the door was immediately slammed behind him. 

The rest of her afternoon was spent running through drills, testing out the feel of the new blade in her hand and mostly just getting use to weight of having a weapon attached to her body. 

It had seemed awkward at first, making her footwork feel more sloppy and unbalanced, but gradually she could feel herself focusing less on the additional weight and falling more in sync with her movements again.

“Sorry I'm late, Iggy had me take Noct for a run.”

 _Thanks Iggy_ , Nova snickered to herself, “you say it as if he were a dog and it was a chore.” She laughed.

Gladio merely shrugged, “not too far off most days, although I’d say it's more like trying to take a cat for a run, lethargic, aloof and disobedient.”

“That sounds about right" Nova snorted.

“Anyways, still got time for a match?”

A wicked smirk spread along her face as she turned to face her friend, “I always have time to knock you on your ass.”

She immediately dropped into a defensive stance as she saw Gladio charge at her, broadsword swinging from above. The sound of metal against metal rang out through the room as his great sword was parried away with her sword.

She dove in with a strike just for it to bring up solid against his shield. Back and forth it went, one would attack, the other would knock the blow away. It did not take long though for the tides to turn in Nova’s favor, Gladio had always relied purely on brute strength, leaving himself open to the fast reflexes of his opponent. A quick flick of her wrist had brought the kukri attached to her thigh into hand and into the crook of the young Shield’s neck.

He growled in defeat as he pushed the blade away, but not before giving it a good look, recognizing the design immediately, he gave her an inquisitive glare.

She shrugged before sheathing the kukri on her thigh again, “I think it suits me" she responded.

“Hmph, guess that means the date went well then?” Gladio asked, dismissing his weapon and crossing his arms.

“It did, you'll be happy to know he was a complete gentleman.” She said mimicking his crossed arm stance.

“Good, as long as he treats you right then I have no issues with Ulric" he relaxed his pose and scratched his neck.

“Thanks big guy, I have to go meet my dad now, we’ll hang out soon yeah?”

Grabbing her bag, she made haste to her old room in the Citadel to shower and change before she was off again to her father's study.

Entering the room, she saw her father in his usual spot near the fireplace perusing through documents laid out before him, “Ah, perfect timing my dear daughter. Would you care to walk with me?”

“Of course, father.” She replied, looping her arm around his when he neared.

They idly chat as they made their way through the lower levels of the Citadel, soon coming upon areas Nova herself had tried her best to steer clear from.

“I trust you had no problem acquiring the power of our ancestors?” Regis asked, unlocking the restricted doors in front of them.

“No, none.”

“Show me.”

Doing as she was asked, she pulled the crystalline Sword of the Wise from her armiger allowing it to float around her.

Regis nodded in approval before continuing on, “I believe it to be a wise decision to extend your arsenal further with the royal arms.”

“Is that why we're in the catacombs?” Nova asked, stepping through the doorway after her father.

“Indeed. In the coming months you will also continue to travel Lucis in search of the remaining tombs. However, I do not believe this is a mission you could or even should, for that matter, do on your own.”

Regis stopped in front of his father’s tomb, Mors. He motioned for his daughter to proceed in collecting the glaive, the Lance of the Virtuous.

“Cor and Clarus are in the process of vetting a suitable candidate to accompany you, however the ultimate decision will lay with you.”

Nova nodded as she felt the power of the new royal arm added to her armory, “I understand father.”

“As I knew you would. Come, let us continue, only a few more tombs remain.” Regis lead Nova further into the passageway.

“Why have you not brought Noct down to collect the King’s Power yet?”

Regis stopped to face her, placing a hand on Nova’s shoulder, “His time has not yet come, I'm loathe to force on him these responsibilities before he is ready. When he does ascend, I would hope it will be with you at his side in my stead to bring him to the crypts of our predecessors.”

After collecting the remaining two weapons from the catacombs, Regis and Nova returned to the main floors of the Citadel in preparation for their dinner with Noctis.

“I ask that you do not speak of your collection of the royal arms to your brother just yet. I know he feels a great burden has already been placed on you in being his sworn Sword, it would do little to help his worries for the time being.”

She nodded in agreement, changing the subject as she saw her brother approaching from behind their father, “So happy you could grace us with your presence baby brother.”

Noctis rolled his eyes at his sister, “Never been one to disappoint my subordinates.”

Regis could only chuckle and shake his head at his children, what they lacked in tact they certainly made up for in their lively banter, having them near had always made his heart feel full.


	14. The King

_“Love your family._  
_Spend time, be kind & serve one another. _  
_Make no room for regrets._  
_Tomorrow is not promised & today is short.”_  
_-Anonymous_

 

Twenty years ago, Regis had married his lifelong friend Aulea, only a few years after he had become the 113th ruling King of Lucis. It had not taken long after their marriage for the couple to welcome their first child, Nova.

Aulea would often tease Regis that the instant when Nova was born, was the defining moment in which he had truly become King. He had known responsibilities and of commitments that his royal duty asked of him prior, however, when he looked into her crystal blue eyes for the first time, Regis had truly felt a protectiveness he had not experienced before.

He realized that every action he took for his kingdom could pose future consequences for his daughter.

Regis had become meticulous and dedicated in his role as King, weighing every benefit and drawback before passing judgment on an issue. His devotion would often keep him away from the very ones he was trying his hardest to protect.

His struggles between work and family life would become a constant battle for him to wage. It had been a bit more bearable when his friend and Shield, Clarus, had his son, Gladiolus, only a few months after Nova was born. It gave himself an ally in his endeavors but also allowed Aulea the much needed support he could not always deliver.

Regis was not there for Nova’s first words nor her first steps, but everything he did was for the tiny person who brought him so much joy. He had reluctantly watched from a far as his once newborn girl continued to grow.

Watching the development of friendship between Nova and Gladiolus over the years had made his heart ache in yearning.

_Look how the little Queen is with her future Shield. Nova would make an incredible big sister, she is already a leader in the making._

Aulea, Clarus, and anyone else who was privy to Regis and his family would tell him, and he could not disagree.

When Aulea was pregnant with their second child, Regis vowed he would not be as absent, he would leave more of the responsibilities of the kingdom to the council. He would not miss any firsts for this new baby.

His wife would never ask any of that from him, she knew when she married him where his duty and priorities were, he was King after all and she expected him to rule.

_End this war, for our children, Regis._

The night his second child was born, he dropped all royal obligations he had and rushed to the hospital with Cor. He would not begin the life of his second born breaking the vows he had promised to his wife.

Once at the hospital, Cor had escorted Nova to the Amicitia residence while Regis stayed with Aulea through the birth of their son, Noctis.

For a brief time, Regis had known true happiness. A healthy baby boy, a happy toddler and a loving wife.

The first time his heart truly shattered was with the death of his wife.

Her health deteriorated not long after the birth of their son. Suddenly he was thrust into being the sole parent of two children under the age of five as well as being the reigning monarch of a country at war. 

For the next few years, Regis had relied heavily upon the Amicitia’s and their assistance in raising his children. When Noctis was three he had enlisted a young boy of the Scientia family as his retainer, to support him where Regis could not.

With Nova it had been easier, she was seven and had already created an inseparable bond with her young Shield, Gladiolus, so he continued to allow that connection to blossom.

The second time his heart shattered was when Noctis had turned five.

The Crystal had chosen Noctis to purge Eos of the starscourge, to serve as the savior, The Chosen King of the old prophecies.

Gentiana appeared to Regis that same day as well, for Noctis was not the only one of his children to have a destiny picked for them that day.

_"Oh King of Lucis, heed these words. A Chosen has gained the favor of a God. Give this amulet to the eldest, it bears the mark of the Draconian and his blessing onto her. For she will be the weapon of the young Chosen King in purging this star."_

All Regis could do was weep while he held his son, knowing the destiny that was laid out before both of his children was not the one he had hoped for.

How does one tell their children the sacrifices they will have to make for the good of their people? To appease the will of the Gods?

He did not know.

Instead, he invested the time and resources at his disposal in order to set them up for as much success as he could muster.

Regis formed the Kingsglaive, the elite military unit. They would be his first line of defense in protecting Noctis. When Nova came of age, she would command them as any other weapon in her arsenal. They would fight to preserve the hope of the future, Noctis and Nova's future.

_It is only fitting their emblem be that of the Draconian, the Bladekeeper, God of War, Bahamut._

Regis also did what he could to assist his children, Cor had volunteered to tutor the young Nova, she quickly became his protégé. Whether from the amulet that hung around her neck or from an innate aptitude, she had taken to fighting and self defense like a fish in water.

_But can she take the life of another? Will she do what is required for Noctis?_

Noctis was enrolled into public school, allowing him to have a chance at a normal life, no matter how brief it may be.

And brief Regis had thought it was after the marilith attack that had almost stolen his son from him far too soon. One good thing came from that attempt on Noct's life, if only one.

He saw for the first, and what he prayed to be the last, time his daughter had the look of vengeance burning behind her crystal blue eyes. No longer were they clear blue like a cloudless day, rather they scorched with fierce determination.

She was her brother's protector and Sword, no questions asked.

Now, he sat at the dining table listening to the relentless banter between Nova and Noctis, as if it were the sweetest melody he had ever heard. These are the precious moments he would savor, would ingrain into his memory and heart.

Eyes fell upon the amulet hung around his daughter's neck, _Does it weigh you down as it does so to me?_

Noctis, not quite being able to reach across the table without straining his back, _Does your pain still burden you as it does so to me?_

He did his best to dismiss those unpleasant thoughts and to live in this moment.

_Aulea, you would be proud to see how our children have grown._

Regis smiled to himself and at his children, crystal blue and cerulean eyes looked at him and returned the delighted grin.


	15. The Marshal

_“Skill is only developed by hours and hours of work.”_  
_-Usain Bolt_

 

Cor had scrutinized over the details of the personnel files that lay in front of him so many times that he could close his eyes and read the words on the pages perfectly from his mind, almost as though they were inscribed on the back of his eye lids.

He knew where all the candidates were born, their blood types, strengths, weaknesses, if they had sneezed in the past decade, Cor knew about it.

The only thing he did not know was each of their compatibility with Nova in the field.

His weary light blue eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh. Cor could feel the beginnings of a headache forming from the strain of his eyes continuously skimming over the pages.

“You're making this too personal, if it were any other solider you would throw them together and call it a day.” Clarus told him, it was getting late in the evening as they combed through the documents together.

Clarus had hit the nail on the head, but Cor would never admit it. He had practically raised Nova in the training hall, watched as a young fragile girl grew into a determined woman. She was essentially his protégé and although he was loathed to acknowledge it, she had become almost like a daughter to him as well.

Of course he was making it personal.

Cor scoffed in reply however, “Nova is not just any other solider Clarus, she is the Princess of Lucis and the sworn Sword. I refuse to send anyone with her who cannot keep up or will put her in harm's way.”

The Shield knew he was correct in his statements, but unlike Cor he could only stare at the same pieces of paper so many times, he rubbed his own eyes in the hopes of relieving some of the pressure he felt building behind them.

“Gladiolus is the most qualified and the ideal candidate, but his obligation and duties to the Prince would never allow him to leave the Crown City in order to gallivant around Lucis.” Clarus groaned, throwing the files in his hand back onto the table.

“I would hardly call even half the places Nova would have to venture through as gallivanting.” the Marshal vacantly stated.

“You're splitting hairs, Cor. I agree we need to be diligent in our selection process, but is this not excessive? Anyone in this stack would do a fine job.” Clarus argued back, clearly getting agitated with this back and forth exchange.

“Fine is not good enough, not out there and not with her.” Cor’s tone left no room for argument.

All Clarus could do was sigh and concede to his counterpart.

“I have done what I can, you know who my top choices are, take or leave them. The rest is in your hands, but do not forgot that the Lady Nova can overrule your selection, you are making it more difficult than is necessary.”

An exasperated Clarus had stood to leave, but the soft chuckle behind him made hesitate.

“Do you remember what we told Nova and Gladiolus when they first began their training?” Cor looked at Clarus, a curious flash in his eyes.

It took the Shield a moment to understand the man's meaning before a slight smirk spread across his mouth, “There is no better way to learn how to fight together than by first fighting against one another.”

“Precisely.”

The two men chuckled together, their own words from years past giving them their best solution.

“Most of these people are currently out in the field though for an unspecified amount of time. We shall have to await for their return until we can arrange sparring matches for each of them with Nova.” Clarus sat back in his seat, easily reclining now that a plan was in motion.

Cor nodded his agreement “It will give us an excellent opportunity to gauge their rapport, while allowing Nova to determine a partner that compliments her abilities.”

Leaning forward, Clarus grew more serious, “You should discuss this with her ahead of time, in order to give a bit of insight in what she should be looking for.”

Cor had again nodded his agreement while explaining at length, “I intend to, though I have no doubts in her judgment. In a few days she shall be leaving the Crown City to collect another royal arm, I'll be accompanying her so I will review it with her then.”

Clarus gave him an inquisitive look, “The King will allow his head of Crownsguard to leave the Citadel while the Kingsglaive is also on deploy?”

“Only because it is for his daughter’s benefit. It will be to Keycatrich Trench, should be no more than a few days to a week, round trip.” Cor replied, elbows leaning onto the table in front of him, a grim expression set across his face.

“I have only ever seen Nova’s prowess in the training room, and while she had far exceeded my expectations in that regard, I must determine how her instincts and abilities have translated in the face of adversity. We both know too well that a lot of what lurks on the other side of that barrier is not for the faint of heart.”

Both men grew somber, Clarus knowing full well that what Cor had spoken were excellent points.

“I shall speak to Gladiolus and have his schedule cleared for the week. It will do Nova well to get as much training in as possible ahead of time.”

With that, the two men began to leave the office, having burnt more of the midnight oil than they had intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to apologize for this chapter being on the short side of things, between being sick as a dog and Episode Ardyn coming out, I put this on the back burner for a while. 
> 
> The story is going to start getting more juicy from here on out now that relationship dynamics have been more established, so I'll be doubling up on the length of chapters for the next bit!


	16. The Shield

_“She's a strong cup of black coffee_  
_In a world that is drunk_  
_On the cheap wine of shallow love.”_  
_-JmStorm_

 

Gladiolus was lounging in his bed, eyes beginning to grow heavy from exhaustion while a blonde from the bar he had gone to earlier, was snuggled into him.

His phone began to ring on the nightstand, lighting up the room around him. Taking a quick glance at the screen, he saw it was father before he hit the ignore button, whatever his father wanted could wait until tomorrow.

Almost immediately after the call, a text came through. Groaning Gladio unraveled himself from the woman and grabbed his phone to read the message.

Dad: Call me, it concerns Nova.

He sprung up in a panic, hitting dial instantly.

“Everything alright?” he gruffly asked the moment his father had picked up the call. 

“Yes, I do need to talk to you though. Where are you now?” came the elder Shield’s reply.

“At my apartment. I'll meet you at the Citadel?” Gladio asked, already in the process of grabbing clothes in order to get dressed.

“No, come to the manor. I'll be arriving home shortly.”

Gladio grunted his reply and hung up, hauling on sweatpants and a t-shirt, he glanced over at the disappointed woman sprawled in his sheets.

“I gotta go, you can let yourself out.” He answered the questioning eyes starring back at him.

“Will you call me after?” The blonde asked, slowly beginning to remove herself from his bed.

“Hm? Yeah, sure. I'll call you later Kaitlin” he grabbed his keys and made towards the door.

“It's Kayla.” She snapped back.

He shrugged and slammed the door behind him.

_Nope, not calling her._

His apartment was located in the same upper class neighborhood as the Amicitia manor, so he had arrived only a few moments after his father had.

Gladio nodded to Jared, who greeted him in return and informed the young Shield that his father was awaiting him in the kitchen. Long strides brought Gladio to the room in no time, concern lacing his eyes as he approached Clarus, who was sitting at the table.

“What's going on? What's wrong with Novie?” the young Shield demanded answers.

Clarus looked up to his son and motioned for him to have a seat, seeing the impatience written clearly on Gladio’s face, he sighed

“Please, sit Gladiolus.”

Annoyed, but not one to disobey a direct order, Gladio sat across from his father and crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.

“Nothing is wrong with Nova, at least not yet anyways. She is to be deployed again at the end of the week so I will be arranging for your schedule to be cleared in order to spend the week assisting her in regards to her training.” Clarus explained.

Where one knot in Gladio's stomach had disappeared, another had formed and taken its place. He had no reason to worry this instant about her, but the last time Nova had been sent beyond the wall he had hardly slept. He held no doubts that it would happen again this time as well.

“How long will she be gone for?” he asked, at least maybe if he had a time frame it would not cause him so much stress.

“Few days, week tops. Cor will be accompanying her.” Came his father's reply.

_Oh thank the Six and sweet Shiva for having mercy on me._

He automatically let out a breath he did not even realize he was holding with that news, with Nova out there alongside Cor, he would have little cause for concern.

Gladio rose from the chair and stretched in relief, “I'll head over to her place now, might as well spend the full week with her. Make sure she's in the right headspace for it.”

_And myself for that matter._

Clarus gave him a curious glance, “should you not wait for morning? What if she is sleeping?”

Gladio laughed and shook his head, “nahh, sleeping beauty won't mind.”

He was not about to confess to his father that he stayed over at Nova's quite a bit. He knew his father would be presumptuous in what that meant and that was a discussion he was not in the mood to humor tonight.

It did not take him very long to make it to Nova’s apartment, her building also being in the same area as the Amicitia residence.

Nodding to the guards stationed at the entrance of the elevator, he sent her a quick text to see if she was indeed awake. When no response came by the time he hit her floor he could only assume she was asleep at that point.

Gladio opened the front door, the one that she always left open, and stepped in. Street lamps from outside were the only source of lighting in the apartment, not that it matter, he knew the space like it was his own anyway.

He made his way into her apartment and towards her room, not trying to be too quiet, the one time he had tried to be silent, he had ended up on the wrong end of a blade. If he walked normally, she would recognize his footsteps and not be alarmed.

_A fighter’s instinct, always on guard and ready to attack._

The soft glow of the city lit her peacefully sleeping face, as he neared the bed though, he could make out the beginnings of a smile forming, one lazy crystal blue eye opening to look at him.

“Hey big guy,” She mumbled, sleep taking a hold on her voice. “get kicked out of the bars again?”

“Not tonight baby girl, the order has been made that apparently I'm to be stuck with you for the full week.” Gladio replied smugly, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Hmph, more like honored to have the privilege to be in my presence.”

Nova scooched over, allowing Gladio space to lay beside her. He slipped his t-shirt off and slid under the blankets, instinctively pulling her into him. He smiled into her hair and let out a satisfied sigh, she hummed pleasantly in response at the sudden warmth and sunk deeper into his embrace.

Boundaries were essentially non-existent between the two of them, although they had never been intimate in the sense of being together, their familiarity with each others body’s was almost unprecedented. It was hard not too be when they had hand-to-hand combat almost daily that had forced them into what could be perceived as inappropriate and compromising positions.

Sleepovers such as these had also been a normal occurrence between them and it had been since they were children. If one of them had a nightmare or could not sleep they would seek out the other for comfort and reassurance. The only difference as adults was that nowadays this usually happened as one of them was stumbling home from a night out and could not make it to their own bed, which meant Gladio crashed at Nova’s more than the other way around.

Morning came quickly and when Gladio awoke to an empty bed but with the smell of brewing coffee and sizzling bacon lingering in the air he could not help but feel content.

Sluggishly he got up from the bed and made his way to the main area where Nova was cooking breakfast in the kitchen. As she heard his approach she began to grab a mug from the cupboard, by the time he made it over to her, a fresh cup of coffee was being placed in his hands.

“So, tell me what's the plan? What's going on?” Nova asked him, dishing breakfast up for the both of them.

Gladio sat at the countertop and told her about what he and Clarus had discussed the night before while picking at their meals and what his role was to be for the week.

“Anyways, Iggy should be next door by now so I'm going to swing over and let him know about the schedule change" Gladio said as he stretched while standing up.

Nova nodded and went to shower, so he topped off his mug with coffee and walked across the hall. As he expected, Ignis was sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper.

Green eyes glanced up long enough to see his new companion before greeting the man, those orbs continued to scrutinize the details of Gladio as the man sat across from him.

“Just came over to let you know Noct is getting out of training with me for the week, dad told me to drop everything and help Novie before she gets sent out again later this week.” Gladio told him as he sat across from the man.

“If those bags under your eyes and scratches along your neck and chest are any indication, I dare say you did indeed drop everything in the pursuit of helping Nova again.” Ignis replied, folding the paper up to set aside for now.

_Should have put my shirt back on before coming over here._

Gladio groaned in response, nothing ever got passed Ignis and this was a conversation they had been having off and on again for years.

“All I'm saying is that as long as your emotional needs are being fulfilled by Nova, your never going to stay in a committed relationship.” Ignis chastised him, going through his usual points as to why Gladio never kept a woman around for more than a few dates.

“Iggy, I've said it once and I'll say it again. It isn't like that with Novie, never has been, never will be.”

“Very well, I have no desire to lecture you about your exploits this morning, it's becoming a tiresome topic.” Ignis replied while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Gladio made his way back to Nova's apartment after arranging a new schedule for Noctis, Ignis would take over his weapon training for the week and would force the Prince to join Prompto on his daily runs.

Entering Nova's apartment again, he saw her dressed and ready to go for the day.

“I figure we would run to the Citadel and then spar for the morning?” Gladio asked the woman.

“Makes sense, just try and keep up there big guy" Nova smiled smugly, giving the man a pat on the chest.

Nova and Gladio fell into a routine throughout the week. Their mornings would be spent sparring, the afternoons at the gym, followed by evenings in Nova’s apartment.

Some nights would be spent reading in bed, others were for watching movies and TV, one was even with the company of the other guys to play games, all of them however were meant to spend that time together.

Gladio had slept at her apartment every night that week as well, ignoring calls and texts from meaningless women who would only want him around for a few moments of pleasure.

He knew Nova would understand if he did go off to see any of those girls, after all she had never asked that he had to spend all of his time with her this week, it is something Gladio wanted to do for himself.

 _I’m sure this is only adding more fuel to Iggy's flame about that emotional bullshit_ he had laughed to himself, not that he cared.

The night Cor had called Nova to tell her that in the morning she was to pack up and ship out, Gladio had struggled to sleep. He tried not to toss and turn throughout the night so as not to wake Nova who slept peacefully beside him. The only solace the man could find was to bring her closer to him, trying to mimic his breathing into falling in line with Nova’s in the hope that sleep would take him.

Dawn had come far too quickly for Gladio, and with it was the embrace of his best friend as she made her way to meet the Marshal at the Citadel.

“Hey, don't look so worried big guy. I'll be fine and back before you even know it" she had told him, seeing a flash of concern behind his amber eyes.

“Hmph, I'm not worried. Just don't die out there, gotta it?” he replied defiantly with arms crossed, almost as though he were protecting his emotions.

Gladio knew the only person he was fooling with that statement was himself, but Nova did not push the matter.

“Don't plan on it! Cor would bring me back just to kill me again for messing up anyways.”

They had a good laugh at the truth of the statement, before Nova went to leave, Gladio’s hand grabbed her arm and spun her around, pulling her into one last hug.

“Seriously though, be careful out there and watch your back.” He mumbled into her hair.

Her undaunted blue eyes met his anxious amber orbs, a determined smile set across her face, with a nod she was out the door.

With her departure Gladio was forced alone with his emotions and thoughts, which had never proven to go well for the man.

 _Why am I so worried, Cor The Immortal will be with her, she'll be fine._ He tried to convince himself and dismiss why he was anxious.

_I need a distraction._

And with that, he opened his phone in search of someone to reprieve him from what he felt bubbling up inside him.

 


	17. The Sword

_“She was powerful,_  
_Not because she wasn't scared_  
_But because she went on so strongly_  
_Despite the fear.”_

_-Atticus_

 

The drive to Leide was a long one, the truck was slow in comparison to her motorcycle, the air stale from lack of an air conditioner. Although the windows were down it had only blown around more of the hot desert air and let in sand and dust.

Cor had decided that the old beater of a truck they were currently in, would make them more inconspicuous outside of the Crown City which Nova could not argue with, having seen the types of vehicles that were driven in the countryside of Lucis.

Her only relief came in the small spurts of ice magic she allowed to course throughout her veins. As fast as her magic would chill her though, the desert air would warm her right back up again, she was stuck in a vicious cycle. If Cor was not there, she would have made the truck an ice cube on wheels and call it a day.

Cor seemed unfazed, not that it had shocked Nova, it seemed nothing could ever get the Marshal to lose his cool.

 _In more ways than one_ she snickered. _Yup, heat is definitely getting to me if I find that funny._

“So, this next royal tomb is at Keycatrich Trench?” she asked, perhaps conversing would distract her from the uncomfortable state she was in.

“Yes, not far from where you retrieved your first one.” Cor replied in his typical monotone voice.

“Why didn't I just get it when I was out here the first time then?”

“This royal arm will not be as easily obtained as those you have collected up to this point and neither will any of the others from here on out. This tomb is located in an abandoned underground shelter, used during the Great War. It safeguards only daemons now, it did not seem wise to make you journey alone into it’s recesses at that time.” Cor never took his eyes off the road during his explanation, Nova could only contemplate what laid ahead of them in the dark.

She had yet to come face-to-face with a daemon in battle, but from her previous experience in Leide she had seen them roaming every night in the distance of the haven.

A shiver went up her spine and it was not from the ice magic she was using.

“You're nervous.” Cor stated, although he never took his eyes off of the road as he had made that observation.

“Not nervous, I just find daemons a bit unsettling.” Nova replied, if the sounds of them coming from the ground had haunted her, she could only imagine what being up close would do to her nightmares. 

Cor hummed in acknowledgement but did not press further, the sight of Hammerhead drawing close was enough for him to break that topic of conversation, for now.

The moment the truck pulled into the garage, Nova had jumped out to stretch, being crammed in the vehicle for so long had done her muscles no favors.

A cheerful voice greeted her immediately “Howdy Princess, didn't reckon we'd be seeing you again so soon.”

“Hey Cindy, I wasn’t expecting it either to be honest. From what I've been told by my father though, it might become a more regular occurrence” Nova replied, seeing a bit of disappointment written across the usually bright face of Cindy as the woman looked at the truck located behind her.

_This girl is passionate about my motorcycle, isn't she?_

Nova continued on after the observation, “I'll make sure to bring the bike next time, couldn't convince the old man to hop on.” She laughed, causing the joy to be brought back into the other woman’s eyes as she snapped her gaze to Nova.

“I'm not as immortal as the tales would make me out to be, and I would prefer to die in battle than on back of a deathtrap on wheels.” Cor joined in with the slightest of smirks thrown in Nova’s direction.

“Well, would’ya look at what the couerl dragged in" came Cid's voice from across the parking lot.

Nova gave a small wave and smile while Cor nodded to the man before turning his attention to her, “secure us the caravan for the night, I have much to discuss with an old friend.”

Renting the caravan for herself and Cor, Nova found herself sitting alone in front of the camper, enjoying how the evening air began to cool around her with the sky changing into those myriad of colors that never ceased to take her breath away.

Her heart longed for more tranquil moments such as these, watching the sunset under a desert sky, no responsibilities or duties to weigh her down, all she needed to make it more ideal was a stiff drink and someone to enjoy the time with.

_I wish you were here to enjoy this with me. You better not be doing any heroic shit out there. Who am I fooling, of course you are, it's what you do. Be safe._

Across the parking lot she saw Cor begin his approach towards her location, with a head nod towards the diner, Nova made her way to join the Marshal for dinner.

She greeted the man behind the counter, recognizing Takka from her last trip through Hammerhead, she placed an order for herself and Cor, then joined the Immortal at a booth near the window overlooking the desert plains.

They ate in silence, Nova watched through the window as the sun finally descended over the horizon and the sky began to be littered with stars as the darkness enshrouded the land.

It was with the first signs of daemons appearing in the distance that Cor rose to stand, motioning for Nova to follow him. He sat in the chairs located in front of the caravan and finally ended the silence between them.

“Do you know why I have accompanied you?” Cor asked her as she sat across from the man.

“So that I won't have to go underground alone" she replied with a lack of conviction.

_If he's asking me this, there's an ulterior motive I don't know about._

Cor’s light blue eyes bore into her, demanding nothing less than Nova’s full attention, a stern look set across his features before he spoke.

“Partially, yes. The other half is to determine if your training with me this last decade has been worthwhile, I need to know if you have developed a warriors instinct. You're a skilled weapons master but can you be cold and calculated if you must, can you hand over your conscience to a primal intuition, allowing your body to react without the restrictions of your mind.”

Her blue eyes matched his determined ones, knowing her words would fail her and not be able to accurately describe how she felt, Nova could only nod in response.

It was enough of an answer for Cor to appreciate, he nodded in return before sitting back in his chair to a more comfortable manner. Nova was not sure how to proceed after that so she opted for changing the subject entirely.

“Father told me I would be getting a companion for retrieving the royal arms, but that you were evaluating possible candidates. If you're here now, does that mean you found no one and you'll be the one accompanying me?”

Cor shook his head, “I'm glad you brought that up, I wished to discuss that with you.”  
Nova raised an eyebrow in a quizzical fashion but waited for the Marshal to continue.

“As you know, you shall be a part of the selection process. Clarus and I have deemed the best way to choose is by having you fight against those in the candidate pool. We can then monitor who we believe is the best fit for you but also allowing you the opportunity to see who can compliment your fighting style.”

“That makes sense, I’ll need someone who I know has my back but can also defend themselves and hold their own, someone who won't be more of a hindrance than an asset.” Nova replied in length as she contemplated the traits she would require in a comrade.

Cor nodded in approval with a pleased smile forming at Nova's words and the look of thought plastered across her fair face.

“Precisely. I assume you shall not be biased in your decision?”

Nova shot him a glare and scoffed, to which he could only laugh.

_Biased my ass, that will be my life on the line out there, which means by default, Noct's as well._

“I'll pick the person who is the best fit, whether I get along with them or not on a personal level is beside the point.” Disgust lacing her voice that Cor would even think to ask that of her.

“Good. Now, go rest. Tomorrow is the beginning of a long few days.”

Nova hunkered down for the night on the pull out cot, allowing Cor the bed in the back. She was met with a skeptical look from the man but Cor did not say anything about it.

She laid awake most of the night, just as she had during her previous journey through Leide, the echo of daemons not allowing her mind to fully relax.

_How do the people out here do it? They must live in a constant state of fear._

When the sunrise had finally come, Nova was already sitting outside to greet it with a coffee in hand. No matter how disturbing the night's felt to her, the rising sun always smoothed over her anxiety and dread.

It was not long after that, Cor had risen and joined her, getting a quick coffee and breakfast for himself before they hit the road again.

The drive to northern Leide was uneventful and smooth Nova kept her face in the wind coming in from the open window, enjoying the last bits of the cool morning before the sun began to beat down it’s scorching rays.

Parking at the Prairie Outpost, Cor did not waste anytime and made a direct approach towards Keycatrich. It did not take them very long to make it to the deserted shelter’s dark, ominous entrance.

“Are you prepared?” Cor asked of her, stepping in front of her enough to gauge her expression.

Nova did not allow the hesitation she felt in the pit of her stomach to dictate her movements, with a stern look and a quick switch of her flashlight, she gave Cor a nod and walked into the underground.

The moment the darkness enveloped Nova, she could feel her hair standing on end, the feeling of being watched from eyes she could not see shook her to the core of her being.

The farther they ventured through the tunnels, the more overwhelmed Nova felt. She could not see anything near Cor or herself, could not hear anything either for that matter.

_Something’s there, I know it, I can sense it._

Before Nova's mind had any time to react, a flash appeared in her peripheral view followed by claws, her kukri from Nyx she kept strapped to her thigh, had sliced it’s torso before she had even realized what was happening around her.

_Here we go, daemons._

She crouched down, blocking another set of goblin claws reaching for her. They were not the smartest creatures but they were fast, she just happened to instinctively move faster. The goblins left themselves completely open for Nova to slice and stab through their ranks. Between Cor and herself, it had only taking a few moments to clear out the hordes.

Cor looked at her and with a nod, they continued on. The narrow, winding tunnels and chambers they explored, did nothing to alleviate Nova’s nerves, but she tried to use it to her advantage. Allowing her body to remain in a constant state of tension and stress had proven time-and-time again to make her body react quicker than her mind when goblins would appear from the nooks and crannies surrounding them.

Entering a room larger than any of the previous ones they had been through, Nova immediately slowed her pace. Her blue eyes narrowed as she scanned the area, noticing that nothing appeared out of the ordinary had made her even more on edge.

Looking at Cor who was observing her reactions, she spoke the first words she had since they left the safety of the sun, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Taking another small step towards the center of the room, she felt the fast approach of something above her. Without giving the sensation any consideration she had automatically dropped to the floor and into a roll. Springing to her feet not far away she turned back the way she had come, kukri in one hand, sword in the other.

Swooping in from the ceiling and landing where she had been just seconds before stood the most repulsive daemon she had seen yet. It had the face and upper torso of a woman, but from there the remaining body was contorted, its legs that of a massive tarantula.

_Oh for the love of Shiva, what in the Six is that damn thing?_

It truly was the thing of nightmares.

On pure instinct and perhaps a bit of disgust, she sent her fire magic hurling at the daemon to burn it away from her. She dove in behind the fire, sword slashing at it’s legs, kukri stabbing any time part of the torso became exposed. It attempted to slam in to her with lightning leading it’s charge but Nova easily warped out of its path. She rejoined Cor and with a quick look, they both attacked the daemon from behind as a lethal duo, sending it back to the darkness it had crawled up from.

“What kind of daemon was that thing?” Nova asked the Marshal, eyes wide in bewilderment.

Cor motioned for Nova to continue their trek as he responded, “a daemon called an arachne, we believe that it’s feminine appearance is to draw in unsuspecting people, preying on the needs of men to help a distressed woman.”

Fascinated and yet revolted all at the same time, Nova had to know more. “Does it actually work? Do people fall for the illusion?”

The grim expression set on Cor’s face was all she needed for an answer to her questions.

They continued to walk through the maze in silence until a door to a royal tomb of her ancestors appeared in front of them, Nova pulled the key from her pocket to unlock the door and stepped inside. She wasted no time in retrieving the Axe of the Conqueror for her arsenal.

Immediately after collecting the weapon they retraced their steps through the labyrinth of tunnels to make for the entrance, or in this case exit, again. Only a handful of daemons interrupted them, which Nova easily dispatched of with little to no assistance from Cor.

She was determined to get back to the surface and feel the warmth of the sun on her skin once more. Where it had taken them hours to reach the tomb from the constant fighting and wrong turns slowing their progress, the return trip was done within an hour.

The cool desert night greeted them, the moon bright in the sky. It might not have been the relieving feeling Nova was hoping for, but it was a literal breath of fresh air nonetheless.

The trek to the Prairie Outpost was slow, Nova’s body on the brink of collapse, the adrenaline that had coursed through her earlier was now leading to the exhaustion she felt.

Eyes heavy and feet weighing what felt like double their usual weight, she fell in line behind Cor, praying that no daemons would block their path.

The Gods must have been watching out for them that night since no obstacles stood in their way. Cor rented the caravan as soon as they made it to the outpost, he sank onto the pull out cot this time, leaving Nova to make a beeline for the bed, instantly collapsing upon it, the bed relieved her of the weight of weariness she felt.

She awoke the next day to rays of light warming her face, blinking away the sleep from her eyes and stretching the stiff aches of her muscles she rose from the bed to an empty caravan.

Nova took the opportunity to shower and attempted to clean her clothes of the filth that had clung to her through the tunnels.

_Yup, so pretty sure daemon remnants are one with my jeans now, that's great._

Giving up, she threw her jeans, tank top and boots back on and left the camper. The welcome sun beating down on her as soon as she stepped outside, she reveled in it’s warmth and its ability to take all of her aches away.

_Sweet Shiva, I'm never taking this heat for granted again._

“It seems you and your brother are more alike than I realized, you will both sleep the day away if given the chance.” Cor chuckled from the chairs to the side of the caravan.

He handed her a mug of coffee from the table when she sat down to join him “it may be cold now, I’ve had it waiting for you.”

Nova shrugged it away, allowing her magic to flow fire through her veins and into her hands to warm up the mug of black coffee.

“So will we head back to Insomnia today?” she asked the Marshal after a few sips of the caffeine had touched her soul.

“No, there isn't enough daylight left today to make that journey" Cor gave Nova a pointed look with that comment to which she gave a sheepish smile in return.

_Oops, sorry not sorry though._

“We will make it back to Hammerhead however, finish your coffee and then we’ll be on our way.”

Nova chugged back her coffee in one gulp and bounded to the truck ahead of Cor.

As soon as he threw the vehicle in gear and made their way along the main road through Leide, Cor gave Nova a quick look, “I am impressed with how you handled yourself yesterday, I see now that I had no reason to worry.”

Nova knew this was the closest the Marshal would get to being sentimental and saying he was proud of her, a joyful smile broke across her face and a sense of accomplishment overwhelmed her.

“What can I say, I had a pretty decent teacher breathing down my neck for eleven years.”

Cor gave her a slight smile, she could see the flash of respect behind his light blue eyes when he glanced at her.

“I’m also pleased to see you heeded my recommendation of having a weapon on your person. I could not help but notice that kukri you are carrying is that of Galahdian make or did my eyes deceive me in the dark?”

Cor had gone through Nyx Ulric’s personnel file enough to know exactly what island of Galahd that blade was forged on, and also knew he was the only one who wielded blades identical to that of the one currently held by Nova.

“No, you're right, it's Galahdian. It was a gift from a friend who wanted to make sure I was protected.” Nova replied.

She could feel her cheeks beginning to heat up as she spoke to Cor about Nyx, even if she did not state his name. She immediately sent ice magic through her veins so Cor did not pick up on the slight shade change that threatened to give away her emotions on her face. 

He gave her a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes, “I presume this, friend, shall not affect your judgment on who your partner in the field will be if my assumption is correct in that it is Ulric, one of the contenders?”

Nova’s blue eyes met with Cor's, “I wasn’t aware Nyx was one of the candidates, but no, I won't be compromised in my decision.”

_That being said, he’s probably the most able-bodied in the running._

Nova spent her evening in Hammerhead with Cindy, although they were similar in age they had experienced life very differently. She may not have a lot in common with the cheerful blonde, but she appreciated her company and determined attitude.

With the promises of staying in touch and swearing to bring her bike the next trip Nova took through, Cor and Nova left Hammerhead at dawn the following morning for the long trek back to the Crown City.


	18. The Glaives

_“Oh but the ones who stay,_  
_They are everything.”_  
_-Dhiman_

 

It had been over a week since the Kingsglaive deployed from the Crown City. In the days that had followed their departure Nyx had already accumulated a handful of new scars, slept for a few hours maximum and had killed more MT's and daemons than he could count.

Except that he actually was counting, he was at 81 and currently at the top of the glaives kill count competition, a fact he was incredibly proud of.

The bulletin board with the postings was on public display in the middle of the makeshift base camp and was updated daily by none other than the Captain himself.

The practice might have been a bit sadistic in theory but it proved to be more of a moral booster for the glaives, whoever was at the top of the board when they shipped back to the Crown City would end up with a bonus on their next pay, plus bragging rights until their next mission.

Luche was second only to Nyx, with a total of 67 and at the very bottom of the competition board was the person standing next to Nyx now checking his own spot on the list.

“Yeah, well, we can't all be a hero now can we" Libertus stated grumpily to a smug Nyx.

“Don't really have to be much a Hero to kill more than 9 enemies. What have you been doing anyways, killing one and calling it a day?” Nyx asked his oldest friend, adding an elbow to his ribs in good fun.

“Look, I just don't have your stamina and you know how my stomach is when I try to warp, I gotta wait for them to come to me, which is hard with you flying all around the fucking battlefield" Libertus countered, trying to validate his low kill count to not just the Hero of the Glaive, but to himself as well.

“See, all I'm hearing here is excuses” Nyx winked at him and laughed as he quickly dodged out of the way of a good natured punch from his friend.

The two of them weaved their way through the camp and towards the tent they shared, having just spent 14 hours on the battlefield. They were stationed on the coastline, west of Galdin Quay, the Empire had set up a temporary base that they had been attempting to infiltrate since they arrived last week.

Between the hordes of daemons that came out at night and MT's during all hours of the day, the glaives had hardly even made a dent through the opposing ranks. For every enemy that was struck down, it had seemed two would take their place.

It did not faze Nyx though, this was just another day at the office for him. He would stay out there and kill the entire Empire single-handedly if it were asked of him.

Flopping on to the edge of his cot, Libertus looked over to his Galahdian brother, “Gotta say, hearing the crashing waves sure does make me miss Galahd. What I wouldn't give for a cold brew sitting on the deck watching the ocean” Libertus sighed in longing while removing his combat boots.

“Life was definitely easier back home, but Insomnia isn't completely awful, it has it’s own charm" Nyx replied, peeling off the blood and sweat soaked battle armor that clung to his chest.

“You're only saying that cause you got a thing going on with Nov's now.”

A sly smile spread across the Hero’s face as he grabbed his shower supplies, “don't know what you're talking about.”

He left the tent before Libertus could reply and made for the communal outdoor showers. They were far from luxurious and there was barely any privacy between stalls but it was better than living in filth for weeks. The water usually ran ice cold, which would be relieving during the heat of the day but it was almost evening now on the coast and the cool bite of the wind coming from the ocean made the air crisp.

Bringing a hint of fire magic to the palm of his hand, Nyx held it over the shower head, it would heat the water up enough to soothe the knots forming in his muscles and unravel his mind and tension for another day.

He watched as the sun descended in to the water as he washed his hair, the orange and red hues blending into the rich blues of the ocean. The sight did make his heart ache for home and for the simpler life it would offer.

_Who am I kidding, a simple life isn't what I signed up for. And you could never have that life with me, I’d like to bring you with me to visit though._

“You alright there Hero?” Crowe asked stepping in to the stall beside him.

She had known him long enough to tell by that distant, unfocused look that clouded his grey eyes as he stared across the ocean, that something was picking at his mind.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about life, about this-" Nyx said as he vaguely motioned to city of tents that surrounded them.

“We’ll win this war yet, just need to keep your head up and take it one day at a time” Crowe replied, the determination in her voice left little room for doubt.

Nyx raised an eyebrow and threw her a smirk, “when did you get so wise and mature?”

“Since I had to start watching out for your dumbass on the field" she retorted with a smirk, it caused the two of them to share a lighthearted laugh.

As the stars began to appear in the sky, Nyx finally stepped out of the shower, with only a towel wrapped around his waist, he waited for Crowe to finish up who also emerged wrapped in a towel.

The two of them walked back through the rows of tents that spread across the cliffs of the coast in search of their own, Crowe had been located next to Nyx and Libertus, along with the other veteran glaives.

Not a single person they passed paid any mind to the duo walking around partially naked, since privacy was non-existent in such cramped quarters, nudity was hardly worth a fleeting thought since everyone had seen just about every inch of each other at some point, whether they wanted to or not.

As they neared their lodgings, Crowe grabbed Nyx's arm to force him to look her with his full attention, his steel blue eyes met her brown ones, a glimmer of worry flashing behind hers.

“Nyx, don't get too cocky out there again tomorrow, got it? I can't be the one to go home and tell Nov's you died from being an idiot.”

“I wouldn't dream of it” he replied, giving her a reassuring squeeze to the shoulder and a small smile.

_I promised her I’d come back in one piece and I’m a man of my word._

Nyx snuck in to his silent tent, Libertus had passed out long ago if his snores were anything to go by. He changed in the dark and sat on his bunk long enough to redo his braids, the muscle memory in his agile fingers had them done within moments. The second he sunk into his cot and head hit the pillow, the man was out like a light, pure and utter exhaustion taking its hold over the man.

His eyes had only been closed for what felt like a passing second before the sound of Drautos yelling forced him to open his groggy eyes.

“You two are needed on the frontlines immediately. Report to my office for further instructions.”

Nyx and Libertus both groaned in acknowledgement, to which Drautos left them to prepare for their next round.

Nyx forced his eyes open and began to sit up, the protest of his body and mind was signaling he had not rested nearly long enough, his hair still slightly damp had made that fact even more evident. Sitting up on to the edge of his bunk, he vaguely glanced at the clock and groaned, putting his head in his hands, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes.

_Three hours of sleep, un-fucking-believable._

With a huff he stood, stretching his stiff and battered muscles, his ligaments ached in pain at the lack of relaxation. His weary blood shot eyes made contact with Libertus, the expression on the other man’s face clearly explaining exactly how Nyx felt, exhausted and unimpressed.

They did not turn on a lamp in the small tent, their weary eyes could not take the additional assault as they began to put their musty battle armor on in silence, stiff from the blood that was caked in to its creases.

The men left their tent the same time as Crowe, who was clearly not as impressed as they were with this situation.

“Good morning gentlemen, ready to go slay some daemon ass?” she tried to come across as chipper, but failed miserably, her tone dripped with a bitter bite.

Nyx did not have the energy to give Crowe a response besides a slight huff, his overused and worn out bones were exerting what little strength he currently had left to keeping his feet moving.

“This is such fucking bullshit” Libertus mumbled under his breath, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes as he hobbled along.

The trio reported to Drautos in the strategic planning tent, where they were greeted with some much needed caffeine, not that it did anything to help them but it was satisfying if nothing else.

“We have finally managed to poke a hole in the bases defenses, but unfortunately the B Team is being bombarded on all sides by daemons stronger than we've seen so far and MT’S, we have two glaives down already from this shit show. Head for the vans immediately, you're going in until dawn.”

_That's only four more hours, you got this._

Nyx thought as he threw back the rest of his coffee, the burn in his throat distracting him from the aching throbs of his body.

_Sweet Shiva’s tits, here we go._

Crowe thought while she cracked the kinks out of her neck and back, clearing her mind to prepare for battle again.

_Fuck sakes._

Libertus could only sigh, mind and body feeling weary and drained, he was running on pure fumes at this point.

Once their feet hit the battlefield, the three glaives ran on autopilot and dove headfirst into the fray. Crowe blasted enemies with magic from a far, strategically pushing back the ranks. Libertus tiptoed behind debris, striking at nearby hostiles when an opportunity arose. Nyx warped from enemy-to-enemy, slicing and stabbing through the lines of opposition that stood in his way.

“82…83…84…” Nyx counted each kill over the glaive radio.

“For the love of the Six, Nyx. I'm trying to concentrate here.” Crowe snapped into her own head piece, tempting a glance at her fellow glaive across the field to see daemons dropping like flies around him.

She shook her head in disbelief as she watched Nyx, her eyes flicked to their other companion. Crowe noticed a MT approaching an unsuspecting Libertus who was hidden on the opposite side of a small broken brick wall.

“Libertus, behind you!” she yelled over the radio.

Screams echoed all around him, the sounds of bullets ringing out in every direction, it all seemed so distant and foggy, like coming out of a dream.

_Who is screaming? Selena? Why can't I focus?_

A pair of hands grabbed either side of his shoulder, brown locks falling into his face that were not his own. An icy cold slap across the his face brought reality back in a flash, he was at war and in the middle of a battlefield.

The brown eyes in front of him were starring into him, “Get your ass up Nyx, I know you're tired but this no time to be sleeping on the job.”

He grabbed Crowe’s outstretched hand to stand, shaking the remaining fog from his head, he warped the two of them to a nearby hill, above the battle grounds.

“What the fuck happened?” Nyx groaned as Crowe threw a sharp glare his way.

“You decided to play hero again, nothing out of the ordinary. Took the blunt of an exploding MT after swooping in to save Libertus' sorry ass and knocked your head pretty good on a rock during your graceful collapse to the ground. Thought we agreed you weren’t going to be an idiot today" Crowe snapped in retort.

Nyx meekly shrugged and raised an eyebrow at her in response, she could only roll her eyes and sigh.

“Where is he now?” Nyx asked scanning the area but with no sign of Libertus in his line of sight.

“He’s almost as big of an idiot as you are and took off after a group of goblins once he saw me approaching you two.” She was not pleased about having to constantly worry about the two of them.

Libertus may always say that she was like a little sister to him, but it she sure felt like more of a mother to these lunatics.

“I'm going back out, you good?” Nyx asked her, she scowled at him which he took as a good enough response and went headlong into the battle again.

The break of dawn could not have been a more glorious sight for the three glaives and it was not just for the fact that the sky lit up in beautiful, vibrant colors, it was the daemons disappearing back to whatever hell they came from with the rising sun, signaling the end of their shift that made them sigh in relief

They were finally able to return to camp, having pushed back the enemy line enough for their cross shift to take over from there.

Covered in sweat, blood and daemon filth, Nyx had enough reserved energy to remove his boots and battle armor but was too drained to change into the sweatpants he usually slept in. He flopped on top of his bunk in just his boxers, no motivation left to even bother with a blanket, sleep sunk it’s claws in to him before he even hit the mattress.

The following days were a constant blur to all of the Kingsglaive. It was hard to keep track of where one day would end and the next would begin.

Fight, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat.

Muscles screamed in protest, scabs, bruises and scars littered the bodies of every member in the glaive, but after nineteen days in the constant combat against the Empire they were finally being sent home, mission completed.

Two casualties had befallen them while in the line of duty, new recruits that Nyx had not even learned the names of yet. They had been reckless and naïve he was told, underestimating the enemies that had surrounded them.

The loss of lives still made for a somber drive back to Insomnia, the body bags a constant reminder to the nearby soldiers that it could have just as easily been them being transported in those black bags.

As battle weary as his eyes might have been, Nyx could not look away from the bodies that lay at his feet. He knew he could not have saved them, the two rookies were on opposite shifts as him, however that did not help the sense of survivor’s guilt he felt.

_They had families, people waiting back home for them._

It was a sobering moment for the Hero, life lived and served in the Kingsglaive could be incredibly short, Crowe had said as much to him before but he always dismissed it. He vowed to himself and whatever Astral's were listening to make the most of his life when he returned to the Crown City.

The drive from the coast took a full day, the glaives sluggishly unloaded themselves and the bodies at the Citadel as night took over the city. Drautos looked over the fatigued faces of his troops as they all stood at attention, awaiting further instructions from their captain.

“You're all dismissed. Go home, rest and recover. You'll all report back in a week for a mission summary.”

The normally upbeat and energetic glaives could only take a deep sigh in relief, allowing their professional stance to fall into a more relaxed one. Eagerly leaving the Citadel to return to their homes with a newfound energy none of the glaives knew they still had available within them.

Crowe threw a weak arm around Nyx and Libertus as they made their journey to the Galahdian district. “Tomorrow we're getting blackout drunk, when you two drag your sorry asses out of bed, meet me at Yamachang's and we’ll go from there. This is mandatory so no flaking out on me, got it?”

Nyx and Libertus gave a half smile to each other before answering in unison, “Yes ma'am.”

“Excellent, you two idiots are dismissed” Crowe chuckled as she parted ways from the men to head towards her own apartment with a wave.

“I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for this whole week we're off" Libertus huffed as they continued their trek to their neighborhood.

Nyx nodded and hummed his agreement, focusing on the few blocks that separated him from the blissful rest his body so desperately craved.

Climbing the stairs of his building had felt the equivalent of a hike up a mountain, but it was worth it the moment Nyx stepped into his studio apartment. It might be small, run down and with paper thin walls, but it was home and he could finally breathe a sigh of ease.

Nyx removed each piece of his battle armor as he made for the shower, allowing the clothing to drop to the floor and leaving a trail in his wake, they were a problem he would take care of another day. The steaming hot water beat down on his bruised and battered skin, somewhat relieving his knots and tension, stinging a gash on his ribs he was not even aware he had.

Nyx stayed in the shower until his water began to run cold, and even then he was tempted to stay in it, enjoying the way the cool bite felt on his inflamed muscles.

The clean sweatpants he changed in to was the most satisfying feeling he had experienced in a while, it had been almost three weeks since he wore anything that was not caked with blood and reeking with the pungent smell of sweat.

Nyx bandaged the clean slice along his ribs and turned off the lights in his apartment, heading directly for his bed while grabbing his phone off of the desk in passing. Turning the device on, it immediately beeped with incoming texts, the two messages waiting for him were both from Nova.

Princess: Hey Hero, I know you're still out on deployment but I just wanted to let you know that I'm being sent out to Leide with Cor, just incase you get back while I'm gone. Hope you're being safe out there.

Nyx gave a cheesy lopsided grin to his phone while reading over the first message from Nova.

 _That was sweet and thoughtful of her_ he thought before continuing to the next message.

Princess: I'm safe and sound back in Insomnia, I hope the same can be said for you too. I miss you Nyx, come back to me soon please.

His heart nearly exploded, he read over the words multiple times just to confirm his tired eyes had read them correctly. As he contemplated his response, which proved more of a challenge than expected, given the brain fog he was experiencing from his sleep deprivation, he noticed three dots appear, just to disappear and reappear yet again.

Nyx waited a moment to see what Nova would type, but when the dots disappeared again and no message came, he caved and shot off a brief text.

“Mission complete, and reporting for duty in one piece. I’ve missed you too, Princess.”

Putting his phone down after a few moments of his text not being read, Nyx had to call it a night, his eyes felt like sandpaper in their sockets from how tired he was.

A loud knock came from his door, he tried to ignore it but the longer he laid there, the more relentless the banging became.

“Nyx Ulric, open this door right now or I swear to Six, with Shiva as my witness, I will break it down.”

He stumbled out of bed, he could hear his neighbors yell through the thin walls to keep it down, as quickly as his suffering body would allow he unlocked and swung his door open.

Arms immediately flew around his neck, his already weak legs gave out from the unexpected additional weight, causing himself and the body embracing him to swiftly collapse. A mangled twist between a groan and laugh escaped him as they landed on the ground, long black hair sprawled across his face, the sweet, soft smell of coconut coming from the midnight locks reminding him of home.

_Well this is a pleasant surprise._

“I knew you wanted to jump my bones, but I didn't think you'd be so forward about it Princess.”

Crystal blue orbs snapped up to meet his grey blue ones, he noticed her eyes were slightly puffy and lined with red rims, black locks clung to her face where tears had rolled down her cheeks.

His heart broke at the sight of how small she looked.

She removed her weight from his chest, sitting up to straddle the man. “I heard a couple of men died out on the battlefield, I thought that you might have pulled some stupid shit out there and you were one of them" Nova quietly said, rubbing the back of her hand across her eyes. “When I saw you read my messages, I didn't even think about it, I just jumped off my balcony and started to warp across the city to make sure you were actually here and alive.”

Nyx let out a hearty laugh, the first in weeks. “You jumped off your balcony and yet I'm the one who pulls stupid shit?”

He received a playful slap to his chest and heartfelt laugh through her half sobs, “can you blame me? I thought you had died Nyx, that I’d never see you again.”

He looked up at her from the floor of his entryway, appreciating how raw her emotions for him were, of how vulnerable his Nova was before him.

_Gods, she's perfect._

Placing one hand on her thigh as the other reached out to bring her free hand to his lips, kissing them gently.

“It’ll take more than the Imperial army and a few daemons to stop me from coming home when I knew you were here waiting for me” Nyx replied with complete sincerity, kissing each of her knuckles to accentuate his point.

Nova choked out a laugh and a brilliant smile as a few tears escaped from her beaming eyes. Reaching her hand out, she placed it over his heart and onto his bare chest, “I will be. Nyx, I-” She was about to say more before she was being cut off.

“Can you two shut the fuck up out here!” One of his neighbors yelled from the open door behind them.

The change in Nova’s demeanor was more terrifying than any daemon Nyx had faced in the previous weeks, where soft eyes and a cheesy smile had been but mere moments ago, now raged a burning flame and a clenched jaw.

_Oh shit._

She sprang to her feet and whipped around, if that look had frightened Nyx, he could only imagine the impact it had on his large surly neighbor and apparently it did, since Nova had not spoken a single word to the man and yet he had turned into a blubbering mess.

“Your.. highness.. my biggest, no uh, my greatest apologies, ma’am, your Princessness, Swordness. I'll just..” He immediately stopped mid-sentence as Nova raised a hand to silence him.

What came across as hardly more than a whisper to Nyx, she spoke to the man, her tone commanding and firm, reminding him of the authority she held as royalty, a fact he sometimes forgot, “see that you don't make that mistake again.”

Nyx Ulric had never been more terrified and turned on in his entire life.

_This is a side I need to see more of._

He had attempted to rise and stand, but his legs protested, finally refusing to obey his commands anymore.

Nova’s hand pulled him up from under his elbow, another reached around his waist and pulled him closely into her. Nova got him to his feet, shot one more look to the horrified man across the hall before slamming the door behind herself and Nyx.

They hobbled over to his bed, where she gently allowed Nyx to slip out of her grasp and lay down in relief. Although the room was only partially lit from the streetlights outside, he noticed her blue eyes scanning his bruised, battered and scarred torso, a look of pain behind them with each new mark she found littered across his skin.

_I must look like a broken mess to her right now, great._

“It looks worse than it feels" he told her with a half laugh, attempting to reassure the woman who sat on the edge of his bed.

They both knew it was a blatant lie, but Nova never called him out on it or pushed the matter further. Instead she looked at him soft eyes and a small smile, placing her hand gingerly on top of an especially nasty bruise running along his ribcage, near his bandaged wound.

Nyx accidentally let out a long, deep throated moan in ecstasy as he felt the palm of her hand skim along his chest, the near freezing temperatures alleviating the pain and inflammation along his ribs with her magic.

_Oh fuck yes, Nov's._

Nova slightly chuckled at his reaction, but did not relent. Her hand continuously grazing over his torso, rotating the magic flowing through her between cold to hot.

“Lay on your stomach.” She softly asked of him. 

Nyx had never unquestioningly followed an ordered so quickly before. 

She straddled him once more after he had flipped over, massaging her hands into his back muscles all the while still allowing her icy hot magic to spread into his skin.

He had tried to stifle another long low moan into his pillow, the sheer pleasure and pain it brought him had ripped the sounds from him body against his will. As her hands kept rubbing down into his aching back, the deeper and more drawn out his moans became, eventually giving up his failed attempts at suppressing them.

_Ramuh could strike me down right now and I would die a happy man._

“You know.. you don't.. have to.. ohhh.. keep.. ughh, Six.. doing this" Nyx said brokenly between groans, the pleasure that had laced his voice betraying the words he spoke.

“Maybe I just want to keep hearing those sweet moans escape from you Hero.” Came her sultry reply in his ear, placing a light kiss between his shoulder blades.

_Oh Gods, sweet Six with Shiva on a stick._

“There’s more.. where.. those.. came fr-ohh fuck, that's the spot.” He groaned as she worked into a muscle he had slightly tweaked in his lower back.

Not long after, when his moans had slowly started to transform into heavy, even breathing, Nyx could sense her gently removing herself from his body and bed. Lightly running a hand along his face she placed a quick kiss to the cheek before she quietly made for the door.

“Stay with me.”

The soft murmur of his voice was barely audible as he rolled onto his side, with eyes still closed he felt his bed begin to dip and a warm body intertwine with his own. Legs tangled into each other, an arm draped across his waist, her face buried in his chest.

Nyx let out a genuine sigh of contentment, embracing the woman against him to bring her closer against him. With a kiss to the top of her head, the tropical smell of Nova’s hair near his face brought him peaceful dreams of the rolling waves crashing into white sand beaches and of days in Galahd spent under the sun in the company of a raven haired woman, smiling brightly at him. For the first time in three weeks, Nyx had a full night's sleep


	19. The Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've dove head first into the Nova/Nyx rabbit hole and have no plans on stopping anytime soon.  
> Sorrynotsorry  
> 🙃

_“There's only one thing more precious than our time_  
_And that's who we spend it on._  
_-Leo Christopher_

 

Nova awoke to bright rays of sunshine sprawling across her face, a warm body holding her close while her leg partially dangled over the edge of the bed, “move over Gladio.” She mumbled, trying to wiggle more room on the bed from the man.

The low grunt behind her was not that of her best friend, eyes snapped opened as her world and previous night had come rushing back to her. Blue eyes quickly glanced around the room surrounding her, small, slightly dingy, a smile began to spread along her face. She may have only been in the space once before but there was no mistaking it.

_Right, Nyx's apartment._

Carefully she rolled over to face the man laying beside her, crystal eyes looking over his features. His ruggedly chiseled jaw covered in scruff, the tiny scars and tattoos that were dotted across his tanned skin, the grey blue eyes she could get lost in that had groggily opened to look at her, and that lopsided grin she received next brought butterflies rushing to her stomach.

“Hi" she smiled and softly whispered as she noticed his eyes begin to focus on her, draping her arm around his waist, she placed a hand along his back, casually rubbing the muscular skin.

“You stayed” Nyx replied, his voice deep and raspy from sleep. He brought his hand up to caress her face, a calloused thumb began to trace her cheekbone.

“Of course, you asked me to.” Nova replied, humming in appreciation at his touch, gentle yet firm as he rubbed small circles against her face.

Nyx closed his eyes and gently placed his forehead against Nova’s, she could feel his hot breath on her lips, dangerously close to touching.

“If I knew I only had to ask, I would have done that ages ago” Nyx’s voice dripped with charm and was accompanied with a roguish grin.

Nova groaned “ughh, Nyx", lightly shoving the man in the chest- _leave it to him to ruin a perfectly good moment_ \- before letting out a good natured laugh.

Nyx laughed along with her, pulling her close into his chest “seriously though, thank you for staying, for worrying about me. Caring about me.” He placed a hand on back of her head, kissing her hair.

Tenderly her fingers played with a braid that was rested along his neck, fingers grazing along the thin line of the tattoo located there, “that's not something you need to thank me for Nyx.”

“I know, but I appreciate you, and what you did for me. You're important to me Nov’s.” he said, running his fingers through her hair, his steel blue eyes searching her own.

“I'm starting to realize how short life can be, I might not come home one day, it could be the next time I'm sent out or it may never happen. I'm willing to lay my life on the line everyday I'm out there for the King, for you. I want to start embracing the time I do still have left instead of throwing it away.”

_What is he getting at?_

Nova’s heart pounded a mile a minute as Nyx spoke, the usually confident man sounding much more fragile and timid than she had ever heard. His eyes darted between her own and across her face, Nyx continued to run fingers through her hair, almost as though he were using it as a distraction while he spoke.

“I don't want to ignore how I feel anymore Nov's, you make me happy, I care about you and I want you in my life.”

_Holy shit, what is happening? Is this actually real?_

Nova pulled his hand from her hair and placed it on her cheek, she felt his body tense up in anticipation, he had completely dropped the walls surrounding him and laid in front of her exposed and vulnerable.

Her blue eyes sparkled, a soft smile resting on her face to calm the nerves of the man she was embracing, “I feel the same Nyx. I mean, I did jump off a building just to see you, if that didn't make it obvious enough that I like you, than I don't know what will.”

She could physically feel the relief roll off of Nyx’s shoulders with her own admission, a cheesy lopsided grin forcing it’s way across his face followed by a genuine laugh.

His laugh and smile pulled at her heart strings. With the morning light dancing across his ruggedly handsome face, defining his features, she finally freed herself of the urge to resist her temptations.

_Fuck it._

Nova closed the small gap between them, her soft lips meeting his chapped ones for the first time. The butterflies in her stomach had practically exploded when the man leaned into the kiss, it was slow and soft, yet forceful enough to convey that he had craved the physical affection as much as her.

Time had come to a stop and what felt like her heart along with it, the world outside of the small bubble that was Nyx Ulric was non-existent to her anymore, tensions and stress were soothed away as they melted into each other.

Nova’s heart felt full, happiness crashing over her in waves. Now that she had tasted Nyx's sweet lips on her own, she did not know how she ever lived without them before.

When they finally broke away, Nova could not remove the smile from her face if she tried, Nyx mimicking her expression before bringing her into him again. They cuddled in the small bed for the morning, stealing languid kisses, smiles and laughs. 

Nyx’s phone ringing had finally popped the bubble of their own reality, reminding them both of the world outside the tiny bed they shared.

Nova passed him the device from his nightstand while she made for the bathroom. His blood covered battle armor that lead a path towards the bathroom made her stomach flip and sink.

_Sweet Shiva, how much of that is Nyx's? Did he actually almost die out there? Is that why he's worried about not wasting time?_

Nova splashed some cool water on her face, her long black hair was tied in knots from laying in bed so long, mascara smudged along her eyes from the crying she had done the previous night.

_Oh fuck and for the love of the Six, I'm a damn mess._

She threw her hair into a loose bun, and removed the makeup that was caked to her eyelashes as best she could before returning to the main area of Nyx’s apartment.

He was still laying in his bed, the daylight and warmth of the sun drifted along his body. Her eyes lingered to his low-slung sweatpants that highlighted the dipping V of his hips, slowly her eyes moved up his torso. The daylight no longer hid from view the multitude of bruises and scars that littered his body.

Between his battered body in front of her and the blood covered armor behind, Nova’s heart felt like breaking, she could feel the tentacles of stress beginning to dig it’s claws back into her.

Nyx sprang out of bed and separated the distance between them, snaking his arms around her waist to pull her into the warm safety of his embrace.

Her expression must have betrayed the inner turmoil she had rampaging through her mind, as a concerned look spread across the man's face, he spoke, barely above a whisper in her ear.

“Hey, it’s fine, I'm fine. If this is too much for you, I understand. I won't ask you to stay and wait for me.” His tone was dismal and dark as he offered Nova her chance out of this with no questions asked.

“It's not that.” Nova shook her head, leaning away enough from Nyx to look into his grey eyes. “Nyx, I want this, I want you. Which means I'm going to worry about you, the same way you'll worry about me when I'm deployed. It’s just, it is what it is, and we'll need to learn to deal with that.”

“God's, I already didn't deserve you as it is, but now I definitely don’t.” Nyx gave a slight laugh in relief, placing a chaste kiss to her lips. “What's your plan for today? I'm being forced into drinking with Crowe and Lib, I’d like it if you came with me.”

“I'm sure it’s totally against your will.”

“My hands are tied, Princess.”

“Well, I could be persuaded into coming if you really want me there.” Nova looked at the man with a glint in her eyes, a sly smile and bite of her lip.

“Hmm, is that so?” Nyx raised an eyebrow at her, the charming lopsided grin that pulled at Nova’s heartstrings spread across his face.

He leaned in close, brushing his lips across her brow, planting small delicate kisses along her cheekbones and jawline, eventually making his way towards her neck. When he reached the soft spot where her ear, neck and jaw connected, Nova felt like her knees would give out beneath her, a reaction Nyx did not miss. He hummed in appreciation as he lingered on that sensitive spot more, placing light kisses and a gentle nip.  
With his hot breath in her ear, he whispered, “please come with me.”

_Son of a bitch, guess that's settled then._

“Only because you asked so nicely.” Nova purred in return.

“I'm a gentleman, what can I say?” Nyx quietly replied, planting one final kiss to that soft spot of Nova's.

“I need to go home to shower and change first though, so I can meet up with you after that.” Nova said, beginning to pull away from the man to collect her few belongings.

“Sorry Princess, but now that you're mine, I don't want to let you out of my reach. I'll get dressed, then we'll go to your place where you can get ready and I'll make us breakfast and coffee, deal?” Nyx said, refusing to let her hand slip from his own as he followed her.

“Nyx Ulric, you're a damn romantic.” She joked, giving him a slight elbow to the ribs. He laughed along with her but neither confirmed nor denied the claim. “Deal, you know food is the way to my heart.”

“Not to sound incredibly clingy, but I have the full week off and was hoping we could spend as much of it together as possible if that's okay with you, schedule permitting.”

Nova hummed in approval, “you're just in luck Hero, I happen to have the same schedule.”

Nova sat back on Nyx's bed scrolling through her phone while he rummaged around his apartment in search of clean clothes. It took every ounce of willpower she could muster to maintain her composure and not glance at the man changing in her peripheral view.

When she noticed Nyx beginning to approach the bed, she looked up to him and smiled, her heart fluttering as she saw him dressed in his usual jeans, form fitting shirt and leather jacket attire accompanied with a charming grin.

“Ready Princess?”

With a nod, the two of them left the cozy quarters of Nyx’s apartment and began their walk out of the Galahdian district and towards the upper class side of the Crown City.

Nova received a fair amount of curious glances as she walked hand-in-hand with Nyx, it was hard to tell if the public was criticizing her haggard appearance or if it was the fact that she held the hand of a Galahdian man as they strolled the more lavish streets of the wealthy districts.

_Let them stare and judge, if it's because of the mess I look like then that's fine. But if it's about Nyx, I will rip someone's head off._

Nova kept her head held high, the regal authority she possessed flourishing in her movements. Nyx either did not notice the stares or just paid them no attention as he casually placed his arm around Nova’s waist to bring her closer to him, placing a kiss in her hair as they entered her building.

 _Cheeky bastard is probably just doing this to spite them_ she smirked to herself, but enjoyed the embrace nonetheless.

Nova opened the unlocked door to her apartment, Nyx raised an eyebrow at the lack of security she had in place to which she shrugged in return. Once in the comfort of her own apartment, Nova allowed the fake façade she wore in public to slip off her shoulders, a relieved sigh escaped her.

“Go relax in a nice hot shower and I'll start cooking.”

With a quick kiss to the forehead, Nyx turned to begin his meal preparations. The scalding hot water of a shower beating down on Nova’s skin was exactly what she needed to relieve the remainder of the tension residing within her body.

This time the previous day she had been an emotional wreck, crying over what she thought to be the death of her friend. Now, he was in the kitchen cooking her breakfast and more to her than just that of a friend.

_Boyfriend? We didn't really go that in depth, whatever, I've never been one for titles anyways._

She emerged from the bathroom and into her bedroom wearing a robe while her wet long dark hair draped over her shoulders, allowing the locks to air dry. The smell of spicy meats, sweet citrus fruits and strong black coffee greeted her as she neared her door towards the main area of her apartment, along with the sound of her front door opening.

She entered the living room through her bedroom door to see Nyx plating up their meal in the kitchen, while Noctis stood in the frame of her open front door.

Noctis and Nyx hesitated their movements for a brief moment, unsure of the proper protocol in addressing each other given the location they were in, until Noctis broke the silence in the most typical way he could have, “that smells amazing, is there enough for me to have some?”

Nyx laughed in response and gave a slight nod, “who am I to say no to his highness.”

“Noct.” He replied, pulling out a stool along the countertop to sit and watch the man pile food onto a plate.

_Yup, officially going to start locking my door from now on._

Nova could not help but laugh at her brother as she approached the two men in her kitchen. She ruffled Noct's hair as she walked around the countertop, earning a grunt in return while she continued to wrap an arm around Nyx's waist, which he responded by leaning down for a quick kiss.

Smiling, her crystal blue eyes met those cerulean blue eyes across the counter of her brother. She could see his gaze narrow as his glance would dart between herself and the man she had an arm wrapped around, he gave her a small smile and nod in return.

_Guess he approves? Thanks Noct._

“Funny how you only seem to appear when food is around, baby brother.”

Noct shrugged, “It’s what I do best.”

“Second to sleeping.”

“Hmm, true. And video games.”

“Definitely you're third best then.” Nova and Noct shared a nod in agreement, a smirk on both of their faces.

Nyx sat down a full plate in front of Noctis, while handing another to Nova. She graciously accepted the plate and made her way to the dining table across the room, Noctis grabbed his own plate and joined her.

“Nyx, this looks unreal" Nova said as she looked at the meats, fruit, and a potato and vegetable medley spread across her plate.

“What is it?” Noctis asked, mouth full from already having tried a bite of everything, including the vegetables.

Nyx sat beside Nova with his own meal, placing two mugs of coffee on the table, sliding one towards her, “it's a bit of a Lucian spin on a traditional Galahdian breakfast, since you obviously didn't have native ingredients to Galahd, I made due with what you already had.”

Noctis hummed in appreciation of the explanation while continuing to inhale the meal, Nyx gave Nova a wink and smile before digging in himself.

“I can't believe your eating vegetables right now, Ignis is going to die when he finds out" Nova stared in disbelief as she watched her picky eater of a brother scarf down his remaining meal.

“Iggy doesn't make them taste like this, it tastes more like meat" Noct shrugged in response.

“They’re braised with a bit of the leftover meat stock and a touch of wine, with a pinch of spices it mellows out the taste of vegetables” Nyx explained their different flavor.

After breakfast, Nyx and Nova cleaned up the dishes while Noctis stretched and made for the door, quite content from the meal, “thanks for the food. Will you be around to cook more meals like this, with this whole thing going?” he asked as he vaguely motioned between his sister and Nyx.

Nyx chuckled and smiled while Nova could only groan at the lack of subtlety her brother possessed, “I hope so” came the man's reply.

Pleased with that answer, Noct nodded to Nyx and gave Nova a quick hug, “Love you Novie, be safe you two" Noctis said with a suggestive look before closing the door behind him.

Nova sighed at her brother while Nyx laughed. Drying her hands, Nova began to head towards her bedroom.

“I'm going to get dressed and do something with my hair, it shouldn't take me too long.”

She quickly changed out of her robe and hauled on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. She took a blow dryer to remove the last few remaining water droplets from her long, thick locks. Arms wrapped around her waist, kisses placed along the crook of her neck as she attempted to brush her hair around Nyx's embrace.

“How am I supposed to get ready with you distracting me?” she had practically moaned as he nipped at her earlobe.

“Me? Distract? I would never Princess, I'm appreciating.” He hummed along her neck.

“Nyx.” Nova replied sternly.

He laughed in response, “here, let me help.”

Nyx gently took hair from either side of her face, with deft fingers he braided the locks into an intricate patterns before tying them together loosely behind her head, allowing the rest of her hair to fall down her back.

“A braided crown for my Princess.” He whispered, embracing her from behind once more.

“Wow, I love it. Thanks Nyx" Nova said as she admired the look in the mirror, give him a large smile at the sweet gesture in the reflection.

Putting on boots, a jacket and scarf, Nyx and Nova returned to the streets of Insomnia feeling refreshed and lighthearted as they made their way back to the Galahdian district.

They could hear Crowe and Libertus bickering before they had even stepped foot on the platform that housed Yamachang's, Nova and Nyx shared a knowing glance before meeting their friends.

“Nov’s, I'm so happy you're joining us! It's about Gods damn time you showed up, Ulric" Crowe said when they came into her line of sight.

“Simmer down, it's only early yet" Nyx laughed as he grabbed two beers from the bar, Crowe rose to greet them pulling Nova into a hug.

“It might be early on, but I've seen you been busy already, Hero" Libertus said to Nyx, his eyes narrowing at Nova and flicking between her and his best friend.

Nova did not miss the interaction and smirk that was shared between the two Galahdian men, her own eyes narrowing at the meaning of Lib's words.

_What is that suppose to mean? Did Nyx tell him already?_

Nyx took a long gulp of his beer, while passing the other one he held to Nova, he put his hands up in defense towards Libertus, “I have no idea what you're talking about.”

A wicked smile suggested otherwise.

“Nyx, you can fool those two, but you know full well you can't pull that shit with me.”

Nova and Crowe glanced at each other across the table, confusion written clear as day on both of their faces.

“What are you two idiots talking about?” Crowe snapped, not a fan of being left out of the loop.

Libertus gave a pointed look to Nyx, who only smiled and sipped his beer before eventually giving the other man a nod.

“Looks like the Hero finally broke down Nova enough to get her to date him.” Libertus laughed at the varied expressions around the table.

Nova gave a sheepish grin, Nyx was beaming with pride and Crowe was just dumbstruck.

“What the hell Nyx, did you tell Libertus and not me? Nov's, I can't believe you didn't tell me either, the two of you are dead to me right now.” Crowe exaggerated as the realization sunk in.

“We didn't tell anyone, Lib figured it out all on his own" Nyx chuckled, lazily wrapping an arm around Nova since his apparent short lived gig was up.

Libertus hummed in agreement, “it’s the braids in Nov's hair, that pattern signifies she's involved with someone from the Ulric family line. One braid would show she cares for someone in the family, but since there's two, it shows that they care for her as well and that they are a couple."

Nova's eyes went wide, she looked over to Nyx for confirmation, he gave her a lopsided grin with a shrug and nod, that what Libertus had said was indeed true.

 _That sly fucking bastard pulled one over on me_ she laughed to herself.

Her heart soared in affection towards Nyx, what had been such a simple gesture to Nova, was him announcing his feelings and their relationship to the world.

She grabbed the collar of his leather jacket and pulled him into a kiss, passionate and strong to convey her approval of his declaration, a kiss that he gladly returned, pulling her deeper into it.

“You really are a damn romantic Nyx" she quietly chuckled when they pulled away.

“Only for you, my star.” He whispered before hastily stealing another kiss.

“As if I didn't already need to get drunk, that just solidified it" Crowe said in mock disgust at the smitten pair in front of her.

The four friends spent the day sharing drinks, food and stories. Nova had practically sat on the edge of her seat as the glaives recounted their weeks away to her, sometimes in excruciating details that made her want to slap Nyx for being so reckless.

_Always the Hero._

As the afternoon progressed, they did a bar hopping tour around Insomnia. Crowe and Libertus had begun to slip into being belligerently drunk, having thrown back a multitude of drinks. Nova and Nyx however only casually sipped on their beverages, they had too much to enjoy to throw it away to a hangover in the morning.

It was only early evening when it became obvious Crowe and Libertus were in no shape to continue their shenanigans, after loading the duo into a cab, Nova and Nyx were left standing at a crossroads between the Galahdian district and the Upper Class district.

“So, now what Hero?” Nova vaguely asked the man standing next to her.

“Did you want to go grab a bite?” Nyx replied, looking around to where they could go.

“Or, how about we order takeout and go watch a movie at my place?”

Nyx gave her an eager smile and nod before holding her hand as Nova lead them to a pizza joint near her building.

They spent the night in the confines of her home, the images from the TV they were not watching was the only source of light in her apartment besides the city lights outside.

Nova snuggled into Nyx on her couch, he wrapped his arm around her, mindlessly drawing patterns on her arm as they talked.

“So, about these braids" Nova began while touching the gentle locks that were woven in to her hair.

Nyx let out a light chuckle as he admired his handiwork in her dark hair, “It's fine, you don't need to keep them in or adopt my customs if you don't want to.”

“That's the thing, I do want to keep them in, if that's okay with you?”

Nyx's eyes lit up, that was the response he had hoped for but certainly did not expect. He lightly pinned her to the couch and began to smother Nova’s face and neck in kisses, causing her to squeal out with laughter.

“Nothing would make me happier, I'll make you my Galahdian Princess yet, my sweet Nova star.”

She hummed in agreement with the man as she placed a hand against his face, lightly tracing the small tattoo under his eye. “Stay with me tonight?”

“I told you, one night in my arms would ruin other men for you.” Nyx threw a wink at her, Nova could only roll her eyes and laugh at him, he might have been partially correct after all.

Laying in bed embraced by Nyx's arms had quickly become her new favorite place to be, she snugly fit into the crevasse of his body, as if it had been meant for her alone. She wore an oversized shirt and underwear to bed while he was just in boxer briefs, the man had absolutely no shame in his body.

Nova’s eyes grew heavy as she traced with her fingers the delicate lines of tattoos that marked Nyx's tan, taut skin as he kissed the top of her head. Nestled in to the warmth and safety that was Nyx, Nova fell asleep with a full happy heart, and for once in her life, she had a reality better than even her wildest dreams. 


	20. The Hero

_“She’s a perfect storm,_  
_The kind of woman that jump starts your heart into believing_  
_That love lives in lightning bolts.”_  
_-J. Iron Word_

 

It was still early in the morning when a loud banging on the front door caused Nyx to spring out of the bed and into a defensive stance. It took him a moment to realize that the sound was not from a battlefield as he became more awake and alert to take in his surroundings.

Confused and groggy crystal blue eyes appeared beneath the bed covers and looked over towards him, attempting to decipher the cause of the sudden loss of warmth that was no longer enveloping her.

When the next sudden bang on the door occurred, Nyx could see her beginning to put the pieces in place, “did you lock my door?” she mumbled, slowly sitting up to rub the sleep from her eyes.

“Yeah, I didn't want your brother, you know, the current prince, the will one day be the Chosen King, walking in on me in bed with his sister. I’d rather not be executed by royal decree” Nyx half laughed while attempting to pull his jeans on as quickly as possible.

Nova gave him a dramatic eye roll and laugh, “please, if anyone in my family is going to execute you, it will be me, for sabotaging the Crown. I'm pretty sure leaving me cold and alone in bed is practically a declaration of treason.”

Nyx threw a lopsided grin her way, followed by a gentle kiss as she managed to dig her way out of the mountain of blankets she had been surrounded by.

Her bare feet gently padded along the hardwood floor of her apartment as she made towards the main area, going through her living room and kitchen, still wearing just the oversized shirt and underwear she had been sleeping in.

Nyx watched as her long, toned legs gracefully swept her across the apartment, the curves of her bottom peeking out beneath the hem of the large grey shirt.

_Gods, what I would do to have those legs wrapped around me._

He pulled his own shirt over his head just as Nova had unlocked her front door, which had immediately swung open behind her at the sound of the latch being turned. Nova paid no attention to whoever was in her doorway, turning her back on it as soon as she had unlocked it, in order to return back towards the kitchen.

Nyx on the other hand watched from her bedroom doorframe as the man who had just entered her apartment had gazed over what Nova was wearing, or lack there of, in almost the same fashion as Nyx had just done.

That did not sit particularly well with him.

_Oh fuck no._

“Why is your door locked?” the gruff voice of the man who had just entered asked as he closely trailed behind Nova, pulling out a stool along her countertop.

Nyx finally stepped out into the main area of Nova's apartment, gaining the attention of the man who had clearly not been aware of his presence there just as he was preparing to sit.

“I locked it, didn't want our time together in bed to be interrupted” Nyx gave a smug, roguish smile to the man as he walked towards the kitchen to join them.

Amber eyes attempted to burn holes into his own steel blue ones, but Nyx met their fierce determination, adding in a calm and confident wink in to the mix, almost in an endeavor to spite the younger man.

“Ulric" the gruff voice said, his tone was dripping with disdain as his amber eyes narrowed.

“Amicitia” Nyx replied light and casually, not giving the young man the time of day.

Nyx walked right by the young Shield to join Nova, who was brewing coffee behind the counter. He snaked his arms around her waist and placed a kiss on the sensitive part of her neck, when her legs wobbled and she sighed out “Nyx" the man smirked to himself. The light smile and soft look Nova gave Nyx made his heart flutter.

_Did that come across as petty? Maybe a bit, oh well, fuck it._

Casually throwing an arm around her shoulders, Nyx looked up to meet the glare from Gladiolus. He met the young man's annoyance with an eager smile.

“I wasn't aware that you would be here Ulric, or that this, thing, was going anywhere" Gladio said harshly as his eyes darted between Nyx and Nova, who was wrapped snuggly under his arm, leaning in to the embrace.

Nova passed out mugs of coffee between the two men, only mildly paying attention to the interactions happening around her. “It’s only recent become serious” she shrugged with a small smile, sipping at the brew in her hands while humming in appreciation of the strong and bitter taste.

Nyx threw a cocky wink to the young Shield, who narrowed his gaze before looking at Nova again “as long as your happy” he softly spoke to her.

Gladiolus then returned his gaze back to Nyx with a pointed look, “and you better treat her right, she deserves nothing less.”

_Finally, something we can both agree on._

With a mild flash of respect towards Gladiolus, Nyx gave him a genuine smile and nod.

“Her heart is safe with me.”

Gladiolus narrowed his gaze once more toward Nyx, before he gave a curt nod as well.

“Thanks big guy, but I can take care of myself just fine. What brings you over anyways?” Nova asked, dismissing the man's constant need to protect her.

“I just came over to see if you decided what your birthday plans for this weekend were, but seeing as Ulric is in the picture, I'm guessing he already has that covered.”

Gladiolus leaned back in his seat and raised an eyebrow at Nyx, he crossed his arms in anticipation of an answer.

_Fuck, is it already the end of November? Alright, time to wing it._

“As a matter of fact, I do have something planned. I was going to surprise Nova in bed this morning, but since that was disrupted-" Nyx blatantly lied through his teeth to Gladiolus with a smirk before turning to face the woman under his arm, “-pack a small bag, were going to Galahd for a few days.”

_Oh fuck, I hope I can pull this off._

Nova’s eyes shone brightly as she looked at him, an excited smile spread across her fair face. “Seriously?” her voice still sounded slightly skeptical despite the expression she wore.

“Seriously Princess” Nyx said with a lopsided grin, attempting not let his face or voice betray the panic he felt settling in to his stomach.

Nova jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and arms around his neck as he gave a heart felt laugh at her reaction. He placed a kiss on one of her braids before whispering in her ear, “go pack now and be ready to leave in an hour my star.”

Putting her feet back on the floor, she gazed up at him, kissing him gently before pulling away, “What about you? And what should I pack?”

“I need to pack too, we’ll have to take your bike though so pack light, just think skimpy bikinis and the less clothes the better” Nyx gave her a roguish grin and wink.

With a final kiss to Nova and a nod to an unimpressed Gladiolus, Nyx left her apartment and sprinted down the streets of the Crown City. He hauled out his phone while he ran, he would need a miracle to pull this off for Nova, so he was going to have to call in the big guns.

_For the love of the Six, please help me._

After a couple rings a soft melodic voice answered his call, “Hey Ma, I need a huge favor.”

Nyx made it back to Nova's apartment with time to spare. Thanks to the help of his mother and whatever Astral's were on his side, he had managed to secure the last two tickets of the day for the Galahdian bound ferry leaving in two hours. If everything went as planned, Nova and himself should arrive to his home in the early afternoon.

He strolled in to Nova's apartment building to see her waiting in the lobby, two helmets in hand. She perked up when she saw him, causing his heart to flutter as it always did when he saw that cheerful smile.

Nyx looked at her denim and leather clad body, but saw no signs of a bag, he gave her a questioning look, “Did you pack Princess?”

She laughed in response and nodded, “I did, with a little help from the Crystal, I have it stored away so I don't have to carry it. I can do the same with yours, if you want?”

Nyx gave a light laugh, he sometimes forgot how his magical abilities paled in comparison to her own. Passing his bag to her, he watched as it crystallized and disappeared from Nova’s grasp, “that's going to come in handy.”

Nova grabbed Nyx’s hand to hold a she lead the way to the underground parking garage that held her motorcycle. The black matte bike glistened under the stark bright lights. Nyx had been on plenty of motorcycles during his 28 years spent on Eos, but none of them could compare to the sheer beauty and power of Nova’s.

_It's only fitting that the strongest and most beautiful woman I know owns this bike._

Turning to face him, she grabbed his collar to pull him in for a kiss. With a smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye, “Ready Hero?” she asked as she straddled the bike and pulled her helmet on her head.

_Gods she's unreal._

What Nyx had assumed would have been about an hour drive from Nova’s apartment to the Crown City docks, she had done in half the time by pushing down the throttle and weaving in and out of traffic. Every official who was patrolling the highways knew better then to stop the midnight black sports bike that flew by them, the Lucian Royal Crest painted boldly across it’s sides.

“And you say I'm the reckless one" Nyx chuckled as he stepped off the motorcycle.

Nova gave him a mischievous grin and a subtle shrug as she removed her helmet and approached him, “oh, you are definitely still the reckless one.”

Nyx let out a small snicker, reaching out to the woman, “You're giving me a run for my money with driving like that.”

Nova chuckled in response, wrapping an arm around his waist. They sat on the edge of the dock until the ferry was ready to board.

A few hours later and the islands of Galahd were beginning to appear in their sights along the horizon. The drastic change in the atmosphere could be felt as they continued to draw near their destination.

The cold bitter winds of Insomnia were long behind them, now the slow tropical breezes lazily flowed through their hair. The dark stormy blues of the ocean had broken away to tranquil cerulean waves, and the image of a concrete jungle with asphalt surrounding it was a distant memory in comparison to the sight before them, lush rainforests with white sand beaches stretching across the length of the islands.

Stepping off of the ferry, Nyx swelled with affection and pride as he saw the look of utter amazement plastered across Nova's face as she took in the sights around her.

Her eyes darted around the small wooden port, where mostly small fishing boats were tied to the docks. All kinds of fish and shellfish were laid out on the wooden planks, where finely woven mesh nets hung from post to post. Fishermen worked away under the blazing sun, either gutting fish or salting them to smoke later.

Eventually, Nova’s enthusiastic eyes landed back on to Nyx. He was convinced that their brilliant blue hue would make even the sky jealous, especially with the lively brightness that danced behind them. Her long raven locks causally blew around her in the wind, the braids still woven in place giving the guise that she had always belonged to the tropical isles.

_Home just got a lot more perfect._

“Welcome to Galahd, Princess" Nyx said with a lopsided grin, putting an arm around her in order to place a kiss in her hair.

Nova allowed Nyx to drive her motorcycle from the port they docked at to their final destination. They casually meandered down the twisty and turning road, beaches with soft crashing waves lined one side while the tropical jungle creeped along the other edge, with towering trees, lush ferns, and flowers that were so vibrant in color they almost appeared as though they had been painted on.

Nyx pulled the bike into a long gravel driveway that was lined with red sandstone boulders and palm trees along the edges, vegetation grew the length of the drive and was flourishing from the Galahdian sun and saltwater breeze.

At the end of the driveway was a picturesque single story house, a patio wrapping around the base for viewing the white sandy beaches that stretched across the front property of the building or to the dense rainforest located behind it.

Nova slid off the bike when Nyx had parked it near the front steps, immediately removing her helmet, allowing it to crystallize and disappear from her grasp, she took in the sights and enjoyed the warm breeze flowing across her face and hair.

Nyx hung his helmet from the handle bars of the motorcycle, seeing an opportunity to embrace Nova he could not pass up. He came behind her while she admired the view, snaking his arms around her waist to pull her close, he placed soft kisses along her neck and in her hair.

Slowly, he dropped his arm’s from her waist and held her hand, leading her towards the house which she happily obliged to.

A gentle melodic voice approached them from the doorway as they neared, as soft as the sea breeze that surrounded them, “now there's the handsome face my heart has missed.” She leaned against the door frame with arms crossed, a cheerful smile spread across her gentle features.

Her long dark grey hair was tied back into a myriad of braids and rested over her shoulder. She had the same piercing grey blue eyes that Nyx possessed, but her features were less chiseled and more soft on her tan face that were only beginning to show the signs of age.

Nyx leaped up the stairs, wrapping his arms around the woman and planting a kiss on her temple, “Hey Ma, sorry it’s been so long since I visited.”

“You're home now, and that's what matters" she replied with a smile and gentle squeeze, gingerly stepping away from her son's embrace in order to face Nova.

With a warm friendly smile and small wave, Nova casually approached the older woman “You must be Nyx’s mother, it is a pleasure to meet you. I cannot thank you enough for allowing us to stay with you.”

Nyx smirked at the facade of Nova's confident, calm tone, he could hear the royal etiquette dripping with each syllable.

_She’s running on auto-princess, which means she's nervous, how cute._

Nyx intervened before their introduction could become too formal, slipping an arm around Nova’s waist he could feel the slight breath of relief she let out at his touch.

“Nov's, this is my mom, Theia. Ma, Nova.”

His mother gave a genuine smile to Nova, she pulled the younger woman in for a hug. If Nova was hesitant in returning the embrace she never showed it, a light laugh leaving her.

“Nova, I'm so happy to finally meet you. My son has spoken very highly of you over the years, although he may have happened to neglect your distinguished position” Theia said with a pointed look at her son, who only gave a sheepish smile and shrug in return.

“That honestly does not even remotely surprise me, he's never been one to treat me like royalty, in fact, he actually use to really throw me through the wringer during warp training.” Nova gave a sly wink to Nyx.

“I’m sure that's not even remotely true.” He huffed dramatically with a grin, crossing his arms and leaning against the patio roof post beside him.

“Pushed me off a ledge once, it was about 200 feet above the ground, told me it was time to sink or swim.”

“And who got over their fear of heights and now jumps off buildings?”

Nova and Nyx shared a laugh at the memories, while Theia let out a lighthearted sigh and shook her head at her son’s unsurprising antics.

“It’s rather ironic that my rebellious and defiant son would end up with the woman who holds the most authority in the kingdom” The three of them shared a genuine laugh at the absurdity of the situation since it was astoundingly true.

“Come inside, I'm sure you'll want to change out of those jeans and leather jackets weighing you both down.” Theia said, holding the screen door open for Nyx to lead Nova into their home.

The door lead directly in to the bright spacious living room, windows stretched from floor to ceiling to let in the natural sunlight and for admiring the lolling waves. Family photo's lined the wall, while seashells and candles set into driftwood decorated the table top and mantle above the stone fireplace.

Nyx brought Nova to a room down the hallway, it’s walls adorned with nautical motifs the length of it.

“Bathroom is here, that door up there is mine, or in this case, ours. This is Ma's room here and that one there is Selena’s room, the door usually stays shut." Nyx explained as they walked the hall. He noticed the look of hesitation as she glanced at the door after he briefly mentioned his sister.

With a sad but soft smile he held her hand, “I wish you could have met her, you two have similar personalities, strong and independent. I know she would have liked you, I think you two would have been good friends.”

Nova gently squeezed his hand in her own, returning the smile, “I would have really liked that as well Nyx, I'm sure she was an incredible person.”

He continued down the hall, opening the door to his childhood bedroom, allowing Nova to step in first. It was a modest room, a large bed was pushed to the corner beside a massive awning window. A full length mirror stood in the corner next to a basic dresser with a TV on top. A few band posters and pictures were posted haphazardly along the walls, it had been too long since Nyx had stood in his old room. The only thing that had changed in it was the woman holding his hand was now a part of it.

“It might not be the Caelum Via Resorts, but it's home” Nyx said, flopping on to the large bed, arms open for Nova to join him.

She crawled into his arms, head resting on his chest, a relaxed sigh escaped from her, “it's perfect Nyx.”

_Yeah it is._

“Feel like going to the beach Princess?” Nyx asked, careful playing with the braid in her hair.

“Are you kidding? I've been dying to jump in the water since we got off the ferry.”

Their bags crystallized on the bed under Nova’s hand while she sprang up to rummage through luggage. Nyx grabbed his own and made for the bathroom, closing the door behind him to allow Nova some privacy to change.

Within moments, Nyx roamed the house in just his black swim shorts, flip flops and aviator sunglasses resting gently on top of his head. He found his mother in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables on the island, preparing dinner for the evening.

“Hey Ma, thanks for doing all this for me” he said, opening the fridge door to grab some drinks.

“I'm your mother, it’s what I'm here for.” She hummed happily, glancing towards her son, she noticed his bruised and scarred chest and back causing her to shake her head. “Nyx, you're going to kill me with worry one of these days.”

Leaning against the counter in front of his mother, Nyx brushed it off, “I'm fine Ma, between you and Nov's, I always have a reason to come home.”

“She's beautiful by the way Nyx, I can see why she caught your eye, but with that personality I understand why she has your heart. She keeps you in line doesn't she?” Theia gave her son a knowing look, the beaming expression on his face was the only answer she needed before smiling in approval, “thought so.”

A large smile spread across her face as she turned to face her son, “I couldn't help but notice you gave her the family braids.”

Nyx gave her a sheepish grin in return and a slight shrug, “what can I say, she’s really important to me.”

Theia gave a light laugh, that genuine smile never leaving her face, “I'm happy you finally found someone that you want to be with enough to braid their hair. I thought I was going to be long gone before that day rolled around.”

Nyx gave her a slight sigh and a fake eye roll, but his face only expressed happiness, “Ma, you're so dramatic sometimes.”

Footsteps padded on the hardwood floor toward the kitchen. Nyx turned to see Nova approaching in denim shorts and a black string bikini top that left her toned mid-drift exposed, her delicate chained amulet dangling between her breasts. A flowing blue and white beach kimono fell down to her knees, and floppy wide brimmed sun hat covering her long dark locks, an easy smile and glimmering blue eyes complimented the look.

_Fucking stunning._

“Nova, you look like Galatea herself has risen from the sea.” Theia said admiring the beauty of the young woman as well.

“Galatea? Who is that?” Nova gave a quizzical yet intrigued look as she asked.

“The most beloved and fairest of all the sea spirits from the old tales, and the namesake for the islands” Nyx explained as he approached her, reaching to hold her hand to his lips, “you look beautiful my star.”

“Nyx Ulric, she’s made a proper gentleman out of you" his mother chuckled, watching him kiss Nova’s knuckles.

Nyx threw his mother a wink and a lopsided grin, he grabbed a handful of drinks off the counter and passed them to Nova, each crystallizing before he could hand her another.

“I’d like to hear more about Galahd and some of those old tales, if you don't mind Theia?” Nova asked the older woman.

A pleasant smile that reached her eyes spread on Theia's face “my doll, I would love nothing more. Go enjoy the sun and we’ll talk over dinner and wine.”

Nova nodded in agreement with a smile, while Nyx placed a quick kiss to his mother's head, he wrapped an arm around Nova and walked out the door and onto the beach.

The white sand was hot until their feet from the mid-afternoon Galahdian sun beating down on it, the faint salty breeze licking at their exposed skin. Nova bent to pick up a tiny sand dollar as they strolled to the water front, flipping it between the fingers of her hand that was free from Nyx's grasp.

A wicked grin spread across her face as she looked to Nyx, he raised an eyebrow and gave her a curious look from behind his sunglasses.

“Race to the water?”

“You're on Princess.”

Nyx instantly let go off Nova’s hand and sprinted towards the water, a laugh and crack of blue appeared in his peripheral view before turning into Nova ahead of him.

_Two can play that game._

Without losing his momentum, Nyx grabbed his own tiny piece of sea glass and warped towards the shore. He caught her just before she was about to put a foot in the water, warping directly behind her to swoop her up in his arms and spin her around.

“Good try, but don't forget who taught you how to warp" he snickered, planting kisses along her neck as she squealed with laughter.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent strolling the never-ending beaches, splashing in the waves and using their ice magic to drink cold beers under the sun.

They sat on the Ulric patio and watched as the last remaining rays of sun stretched across the tropical isles, dipping below the horizon of the ocean to paint the sky in an orange tinge. Nova sat on the floorboards between Nyx’s legs while he braid her freshly washed locks into the intricate design that represented his family line, while sipping on seaweed gin.

“If things were different, I’d like to live here. This is the kind of life I always dreamed about having.”

“I wish they could be different too, this is the life I want with you my star.”

_It doesn't get better than this._

Nyx, Nova and Theia spent the evening talking around the lit fireplace, a cool fog had rolled in from the water, the chill and dampness in the air sinking in to their bones. Theia had made them a seafood chowder for dinner, which only increased the cozy and comfortable environment they were in.

“Nova, I just want to thank you for taking care of my wayward son, it makes my heart happy knowing such a good friend of his has become his partner" Theia said, sitting in a large chair across from Nyx and Nova on the couch.

Nova gave the older woman a smile and light laugh, “Shiva knows someone needs to look out for him. You raised a good man Theia, he see's me, for me and not my title.”

Nova gave Nyx a heartfelt look, which he gladly returned with a lopsided grin and pulling her in to his chest.

“The two of you make it sound like I'm some kind of delinquent that needs supervision” Nyx chuckled, he watched as his two favorite women shared a knowing glance before they both broke out in laughter, leaving Nyx to sigh but smile.

“You know his sister, Selena, would also always say he needed someone to take care of him. She may have been his younger sister but she became pretty proficient in tending to wounds each time Nyx would come home with a new cut, bruise or broken bone from doing Six knows what with Libertus” Theia lightly chuckled at the memories.

“She sounded like a good sister, I’m sorry for what happened, I wish I could have met her. I can understand better than most the feeling of wanting to protect your brother" Nova said softly as she looked to the older woman.

“I appreciate that, but you have met her through Nyx and through being here in Galahd. I know her spirit is watching from the stars above, still watching out for him and guiding him to you.”

Nyx gave Nova a gentle squeeze at his mother's words, he saw her having to look away with a hint of extra moisture on the edge of her eyes.

Theia began to tell Nova about embarrassing stories from Nyx’s childhood, almost all of them involving Libertus or his sister, Selena. She told of how a young energetic boy grew into the respectable fine man he was now.

Nova in return would divulge bits and pieces of the pressures of being raised as royalty in the Citadel and the expectations placed upon her at such a young age.

The stark contrast of their formative years could not have been more painfully obvious, where Nyx had experienced laughter with friends and family, Nova’s was learning to slaughter for her family beside her friend. Nyx’s carefree lifestyle and go with the flow attitude was the opposite of Nova’s who was calculated and her life preordained.

Despite the lack of similarities in their childhood, they now stood hand-in-hand on the same path in life, fighting to protect the people they cared about.

The following morning, Nyx rose with the sun to go into the town market. He gingerly removed the sleeping Nova from his arms, as quickly and quietly as possible, Nyx changed into shorts and a t-shirt, silent steps padded out of the room with the door gently shutting behind him.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee reached his nostrils as he walked down the hallway and into the kitchen. His mother sat at the table, an extra mug of coffee brewed beside her.

“Does Nova suspected anything?” his mother asked into the mug of coffee nestled between her hands.

“Don't think so, she's out like a light in there so I should be back before she even wakes up” Nyx replied taking a big gulp of the richly bitter coffee.

“Be careful, might still be a few daemons roaming in the shadows of the jungle" Theia stood to embrace her son before he left.

“Don't worry Ma, Nov's bike has daemon repelling lights installed, I'll be fine.”

Satisfied with that answer, Theia gave Nyx a pat on the shoulder and a small smile.

Sure enough, Nyx had gone to the village market and back again before Nova had woken up. He sat on the patio with his second coffee of the morning when she joined him, holding her own mug of the strong Galahdian brew.”

“There's my Hero.”

“Princess, ready for another day spent in paradise?”

“Always.”

Nyx placed a hand on her face, tilting her chin up to place a gentle kiss on her lips, “good, today were going to be hiking up a mountain” Nova groaned into his lips while he laughed.

They walked along the lush floors of the jungle, following a well worn path roaming around the flora. The ocean breeze could no longer be felt through the dense rainforest, their only relief from the sweltering humid heat was the ice magic they both constantly let flow their veins.

The path followed along the twists and turns of the Galahd river, eventually beginning the steep incline around the base of the mountain. A rope rail was the only precaution in place to prevent a sharp drop into the rocky crags and swift rapids below. Nova maintained the grueling pace Nyx sets out for them, accomplishing it with the same ease as him who had grown up hiking this very mountain.

Every time Nyx looked back to check on Nova, she flashed him a brilliant smile, her lean muscular legs gracefully carrying her only a few steps behind him. Her stamina rivalling his own as she appeared unfazed with the angled trek, maintaining an even breath.

Hours were spent hiking the rocky incline, but by mid-afternoon the ground began to finally level off on to a good sized opening, all of Galahd stretching out before them.

Nova looked in awe out at the landscape from the edge of the cliff, ocean as far as the eye could see. The cluster of islands were the only interruptions to the expansive blue of the sea and sky.

“Holy shit, Nyx, this view is incredible" Nova laughed out in wonder at the breathtaking scenery surrounding them.

“I knew you'd appreciate it" Nyx motioned for his bag, which Nova vacantly obliged to, allowing it to materialize and drop into his hand while she sat, legs dangling over the mountain, basking in sight.

Nyx quickly set out a blanket with a plate of cured meats, cheeses fruits, water and wine, if Nova's eyes had not been wide enough before, they had practically exploded at the sight of what Nyx had planned when he drew her attention away from the scenery.

“Nyx," she breathed, “you're so cheesy it hurts. This is amazing, you're amazing” Nova said, pulling the man in for a passionate kiss once she had risen from the cliff side.

“I do what I can Princess" Nyx replied with a lopsided grin as he sat on the blanket, motioning for Nova to join him.

Nova walked the short distance to sit beside him, Nyx was already in the process of pouring them both a glass of wine. Handing her the glass as she sat and casually leaned against him, Nyx wrapped an arm around her waist. Nyx embraced Nova and the moment they shared, etching the details of it into his memory and heart.

They ate, drank and talked the afternoon away, the world below of no consequence to them. As the afternoon sun shifted across the sky and evening began to approach, a glimmer above them had caught the corner of Nova’s eye. “What's up there?”

Nyx, following her line of sight shrugged, “hmm, I’m not sure, want to check it out?”

With a nod, the kukri Nyx had gifted her appeared in Nova’s hand just as Nyx was grabbing his own sheathed one. Nova threw hers first, warping to the ledge above them. Nyx was behind her in an instant, pulling himself up and over the cliff to join her.

_Is that what I think it is? All the way up here?_

White marble walls glistened in the setting sun, becoming almost orange in hue from the smooth surface reflecting the rays of light that shone down on it. It had been meticulously built directly into the face of the mountain with only a small part visible on the ledge, the rest was encased within the rocks.

“It’s a royal tomb” Nova said excitedly to Nyx, a key materializing in her hand, “let's go in so I can get the royal arm.”

Nova was already unlocking the door before Nyx had time to process what she had meant.

“You sure that's a good idea Princess? That's not breaking and entering?” He hesitantly asked while stepping in to the tomb with her.

Nova turned to laugh at him, displaying the key in her hand to him, the Lucian Royal Crest finely engraved on its face. “it's hardly breaking and entering if you have a key to the front door.”

“And you plan on stealing your ancestors weapon?” Nyx asked skeptically, unsure as to why Nova seemed so calm about.

“It’s not stealing, I've actually been ordered by my father to collect them. I wasn't expecting to find one of my ancestors buried here though” Nova said as she placed a hand on top of the sarcophagus in front of them.

Nyx watched in a mix of wonder and horror as the crystallized weapons soared above them before plunging into Nova's chest, her armiger of royal arms swirling around her body.

“What was that?” Nyx asked perplexed at the sight that had occurred in front of him.

“Scimitars of the Hunter, my bloodline can go to the tombs of our ancestors and collect the weapons of the previous monarchs through the bonding of their soul to mine” Nova causally explained while testing the weight and feel of the new weapons in her hands.

“Guess that means you really are my Galahdian Princess if you have family buried here" Nyx laughed as Nova released her new blades back to her armiger.

Nova gave him a bright smile and a wink, “guess so Hero, maybe things made in Galahd agree with me more than I thought they did.”

“I’m a pretty good example that they do, Princess. We should head back home before the daemons come out though” Nyx said, already beginning to leave the eerie tomb behind.

The trip down the mountain was done in record time with Nyx and Nova warping down the side of the cliffs and through the dense jungle. They reached the Ulric residence as the stars and moon were bright in the sky, causing Nova to pause in admiration of their beauty.

Nyx wrapped an arm around Nova, starring up at the starry night with her, “see those stars there, over in that cluster?” he asked, pointing to a bright group of stars.

When she hummed in acknowledgement, he continued, “the old tales tell that the constellation is that of the long forgotten Astral, Astrea. She abandoned Eos, who was her mother, when her father Astraeus, the God of Dusk, sent the starscourge down on a meteor in spite. The wickedness it produced in humanity caused her to flee. The legends say that apparently she'll come down from the stars and return one day, when Eos is a paradise once more.”

“That sounds like it would mean when my brother purges Eos of the scourge. What do the tales say she is the God of? I never heard about the Forgotten Astral in the Cosmogony books, or anywhere for that matter" Nova said quietly, her voice small and curious.

Nyx hummed in agreement, “it does sound that way. She's the star-maiden, Goddess of Justice and Innocence. She's kind of like a Galahdian fairytale, passed down to children through oral history.”

Nova gave him a soft small before leading them into the house. She came to an abrupt halt in the doorway to the kitchen, Nyx smirked, putting a hand on the small of her back, he gently pushed her in order to guide her farther in to the room.

Candlelight lit the room from every available surface, on the table sat a bouquet of delicate white flowers next to a bottle of wine and small gift bag, the rich smell of tomatoes and spices permeated the air.

“I know it isn't until tomorrow, but happy 21st birthday my star" Nyx whispered in her ear as she threw her arms around his neck.

“Nyx, you romantic fucking bastard, this is why I love you” Nova immediately drew away from him, stepping back a few paces as her eyes went wide in alarm, a hand covering her mouth at the slip of the word.

_Holy fucking shit. Did she just say what I think she said?_

Time stopped, the only sounds to be heard were the constant chirps of the crickets outside, the gentle waves crashing on to the distant shore, and the clock on the wall ticking agonizingly slow.

Nyx thought his heart had stopped along with it, a rush of emotions flowing through him. He saw the fear and trepidation burning behind her blue eyes the longer he stood motionless and silent.

_God's, she's fucking adorable when she panics._

His slack jaw and confused eyes slowly began to transform into a lopsided grin, bright passionate fires burned behind his grey blue eyes, rivaling those of the candles surrounding them.

Nyx closed the distance between them, holding Nova at arms length he raised her chin to look at him, “I love you too, my star. I always have.”

Nova let out a mixture between a sigh of relief and a lighthearted laugh, positioning her arms around his neck once more. She placed a tender loving kiss to his lips, one that he was more than happy to return.

“Here, it seems appropriate to give you your gift now.” He laughed as they separated, reaching for the small gift bag on the table.

Passing it to Nova, she looked at him with bright brilliant blue eyes, gently taking a small velvet box from the bag. She opened it and took out the bracelet, a large small spread across her face.

“It’s not much, but I had this made for you, in order to remind you of Galahd.” Nyx said with a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“It's perfect Nyx, what is it made of? And what do the beads represent? I remember you mentioning how different beads meant different things” Nova asked as she rolled the stones between her fingers, feeling their weight and texture.

“Look at you, really embracing the culture now, aren't you my Galahdian Princess?" Nyx laughed, he stepped closer to Nova for his description of the bracelet.

“These black ones are lava stone, from the volcano of the mountain we climbed today. It’s suppose to bring the wearer strength, courage and stability during difficult times. And this blue one, is turquoise, for protection and healing.” Nyx explained as he took the bracelet out of her hand and placed it along her wrist. “Whenever I'm away from you on deployment, just hold this close to your heart and it will get you through it until I can be back with you.”

“This is the most thoughtful thing you could have bought for me, thank you Nyx" Nova gave him a genuine smile as she wrapped her arms around him.

“You're welcome my star" Nyx said while placing a kiss in her hair, “now, go sit, have a glass of wine and I'll finish up dinner.”

Nova gave him a nod and happy obliged in pouring a glass of wine, “where’s your mom?” she asked, sitting in her chair, swirling the vibrant red liquid in her glass.

“She's gone for the night to give us a date night, it's just me and you Princess” Nyx glanced back to throw her a wink. “She's had this sauce simmering since we left, I just need to boil some noodles and we're set.”

Nyx prepared the missing ingredient to their meal while Nova happily watched, drinking her wine and mindlessly playing with the new beads resting on her wrist.

They ate and drank until the candles began to burn out, smothered from their own wax. Nyx picked the plates off the table, beginning to clean up so his mother would not have to see or deal with the mess in the morning, after all the effort she had already put in to helping Nyx, it was the very least he could do.

“Go get ready for bed, I'll be in soon” he said with a kiss to her forehead, Nova hummed in agreement and strolled to the back room.

_I don't think today could have gone any better._

Nyx quickly washed the dishes, leaving them in the drying rack for the night. Blowing out the remaining few candles that had managed to stay lit, he went to the bathroom to stripe down to his boxers before heading to the bedroom.

It was his turn to come to an abrupt stop at the sight in front him.

Purposely spread across his bed in show was Nova, laying on her side to face the door with one hand draped along her hip and the other supporting her head, wearing nothing but a sheer black lacey bra and matching underwear. Her eyes burned with desire and a mischievous grin spread across her fair features when he entered the room.

Nyx’s eyes took in the sight of her in front of him, eager and waiting to be ravaged, it was an image he wanted to burn into his memory to cherish forever. Nova may have laid in front of him on full display and completely exposed but she was far from vulnerable, confidence exuding from her, demanding his unwavering attention.

His eyes grazed across her body in longing, along the dips of her hip, he followed the trail her dainty amulet left from her exposed neckline, that he could not wait to sink his teeth in to, all the way down to where it casually rested in between the mounds of her breasts, the fine lace busting at the seams vainly attempting to conceal them from his view.

Biting her lip seductively, she slowly crawled off the bed and gracefully walked towards him, eyes never leaving his own with her languid movements.

“Hey Hero, this Princess could use your help” her sultry voice purred as she placed one hand on his waist and the other on his chest, a small zap from her touch jolted him, looking down he saw tiny bolts of electricity weaving between her fingers.

A lopsided grin spread across his face, his normally grey blue eyes were blown out black in lust. He picked her up to his chest, where she immediately wrapped her long legs around his waist, he nipped at the exposed flesh of the top of Nova's breasts that were in his face.

Dropping her on to his bed, Nyx was on top of Nova within seconds. Nipping and kissing at her neck, finally marking her with small bites the way he had fantasized.

She let out a needy moan in his ear, one of her hands forcefully grabbing a fist of his hair to expose his own jawline, planting her own nips and kisses along it, while the other sent small shockwaves down his spine.

“You're walking a dangerous line, Princess” he growled against her skin, biting the tender flesh along her chest.

Nova gasped in pleasure at Nyx’s teeth grazing across her skin, a mischievous smile was spreading across her face, “maybe that's the point, Hero.”

_Sweet fucking Shiva on a stick, turns out today just got a shitload better._

Nyx had been with his fair share of woman over the years, and that was still probably selling it short, but he never felt more complete and fulfilled than he did with Nova. It was more than just purely a physical act, the emotional connection he shared with her had only heighten his senses and experience in ways that he would have never dreamt to be possible.

He wanted to take his time in order to learn and map out of all of the spots that made the delicious moans and sighs she would automatically let out as he grazed past them. To memorize the scars that littered her body, to kiss each individual one as though his lips were the compass to navigate the secrets of her body. To learn by heart how the feel of the soft valleys of her hips and mounds of her breasts felt against his rough, calloused palms and fingers as they dug in to them or against his chapped lips and he nipped at the sensitive flesh.

He could hardly comprehend how their bodies had melded together perfectly, it was as though the warmth that had enclosed around him when he was in her, had been made specifically for him alone. He wanted to cherish how Nova's skin almost glowed and shined in the moonlight that was coming in through his open window as she rode him in to oblivion, a celestial being blessing him with her presence and love.

Her voice and hot breath against his neck as she moaned his name over and over as he thrust his hips in to her, had felt almost as invigorating as the bolts of electricity she dragged across his back with her nails.

The blissful afterglow surrounding her as she looked at him was the only sight he ever wanted to see again, she was the only woman he ever wanted to be with again.

_I'm going to marry you one of these days, Nova Lucis Caelum._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know that some of the things I added aren't canon, but they just seemed to flow in almost too seamlessly.
> 
> The Greek Mythology that was included seemed appropriate, given Nyx is the God of Night and Selene is the God of the moon. Which is how I decided on Theia for mama Ulric just to stick with the lore. In mythology she's the Titan Goddess of sight&prophecy and mother of Helios, Selene and Eos, so it almost kind of wants to work. 
> 
> I also know that Galahd's namesake actually comes from King Arthur's knight of the round table, Sir Galahad, but I liked the vibes of mine in complimenting the islands and the Greek Mythology aspect, soo🤷


	21. The Sword & The Glaives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up being WAY longer than I originally intended, I just wasn't satisfied with it and kept adding to it. 
> 
> So, super sorry for the inconvenience of giving you guys additional story content😂
> 
> Also, adult content ahead and probably more way more frequently cause I'm a self indulgent bitch for Nova&Nyx💁

_“She wore her scars as her best attire._  
_A stunning dress of hellfire.”_  
_-Daniel Saint_

 

The pleasant sounds of birds singing and of soft waves crashing on to the nearby shore were the first things Nova heard as she slowly awoke. Nyx’s lean muscular form as he lay naked beside her, with only the sheets covering him, was the first sight she saw in the morning light.

_Can I wake up every morning like this?_

His grey blue eyes opened a crack to look at her as she snuggled in to his body, he lazily wrapped an arm around her, a lopsided grin slowly appearing on his face as he kissed her hair.

“Morning my star.”

“Mmm, morning my love.”

Nyx looked at her with a cheesy grin and a raised eyebrow at the new nickname, Nova gave a mild shrug in response before gently stealing his lips for her own, something he was more than happy to oblige to.

They were suppose to spend the morning packing and getting their belongings back in order for their departure in the afternoon. However, enjoying their last moments in the paradise that was Galahd, wrapped in the bed sheets and in each other's grasp was far more tempting option neither of them wanted to pass up. 

It was only with the sound of the front door being opened that interrupted them from their little world beyond the bed. 

Giving each other a slight look of panic, they both immediately sprang out of bed with a soft chuckle. They hastily dressed, while Nova attempted to crystallized whatever she could reach of their belongings.

Theia had returned home not long before they were due to leave, she embraced her son with soft sad eyes, “Nyx, you better not go so long without a visit next time, and be good to this one, she's a keeper.”

“I won't Ma, I promise. And trust me, I know how amazing Nov’s is” Nyx said with a chuckle, returning his mother's embrace and placing a kiss to the side of her head.

Nova gave Theia a small smile and nod, Theia was having none of that however and quickly brought the younger woman in for a hug, “You wear the Ulric braids, you're family now my doll. I'm sure I don't need to ask, but please keep my son in line, Six knows he won't listen to me but I have no doubt he'll do whatever you ask of him” Theia chuckled with a wink.

Nova returned the laugh, a beaming smile lighting up her face, “I’ll wear them with pride. As for Nyx, I'll do my best.”

With promises of staying in touch and visiting again soon, Nyx drove them on Nova’s motorcycle back to the Galahdian port to return to Insomnia. They stood on the deck of the ferry as they departed land, watching as Galahd became a distant dot on the horizon of blue ocean waters.

“Nyx, we can come back soon right?” Nova hopefully asked as the last remaining specks of the islands disappeared from her view.

He stood behind her, snaking his arms around her waist, she placed her hands on top of his as he kissed her hair, “I'll bring you to Galahd whenever you want my star, just say the word.”

As soon as their feet hit the asphalt of the Crown City, they were pulled in opposite directions, the short lived vacation coming to an abrupt end. Drautos called Nyx asking him to come in for a briefing that evening regarding a possible position opening for an elite soldier, while Cor requested Nova go in to the Citadel the following morning.

Nova absentmindedly weaved through the traffic on the Insomnian highways, it was hard to appreciate the bustling grey metropolis after being truly captivated with the stunning nature of Galahd. She slowed down as she neared the Galahdian District, her mind almost confused how she had arrived so quickly.

Nyx released his death grip from around her waist, she gave him a sheepish smile and shrug when she removed her helmet to which he could only laugh and shake his head.

Passing Nova his helmet he watched it crystallize from her grasp before letting out a disappointed sigh.

“I'm sorry Princess, but duty calls, you know how it is" Nyx gave her a lopsided grin but his eyes told a different story, they showed his hesitation to leave her.

“Hey, don't worry about it. I'll see if my brother and the guys want to do a belated birthday dinner and you can meet up with me afterwards, deal?” Nova said, giving him a small smile as she sat on her bike.

Weaving his fingers in to her hair, Nyx pulled her in for a tender kiss. Resting his forehead against her own he whispered “deal, and I'll make it up to after.”

He gave her a quick kiss to the forehead before sprinting off to his apartment in order to clean his Kingsglaive uniform to wear for the briefing. He had left it discarded on his apartment floor since returning from duty,  still caked and festering with the blood and sweat he had lost during his deployment.

With a quick text to Noctis and call to Gladio, Nova was parking her bike in her parking garage, potentially for the season as the winter winds froze her to the core as she had driven, sprinting up to her apartment long enough to grab a proper jacket before meeting the guys.

Nova reminisced on the few days she had spent with Nyx on Galahd while she quickly walked through the cold crowded streets and how those couple days were not enough to satisfy her, the place had completely stolen her heart and soul.

The islands were a place that felt as though time stood still with the calm, relaxing atmosphere surrounding it, and yet it was gone in nearly the blink of an eye from just enjoying it.

Nyx had shown her the peaceful and relaxing life she had longed for, Nova had found a piece of herself there that she never knew could exist for her, she had found true happiness.

She had found it in the warmth of the white sand squishing between her toes while cerulean blue waves lapped lazily on her legs. She had found it in the fauna and flora of the lush green jungle as the melody of birds and a rushing river played to the song of her heart.

But most importantly, she had found happiness each time his grey blue eyes would affectionately look back at her, to the brilliant lopsided smile that would light up his ruggedly handsome face, in the gentle touches and kisses he placed along her skin, as soft as the sea breeze that blew threw her hair.

Nyx Ulric had made her happy in returning her love with his own, for wanting Nova for who she already was, not what everyone expected her to be.

It was the greatest birthday gift anyone could have possibly given her.

Nova craved to feel more of the warmth from the sun and the mellow ocean breeze, not the cold bitter gusts of wind that came from the north of Insomnia, threatening to bite her skin right through her down filled jacket.

_Shiva have mercy, I'm done with winter already and it hasn’t even begun._

Pulling down the hood of her parka and tightening the scarf she wore in tighter to her neck, in order to protect her face from the burning sting of the wind on her exposed skin, Nova kept her head down, walking the remaining few blocks to her destination.

Entering the dimly lit pub, Nova’s eyes scanned the large crowded room for her friends. Making her way through the throngs of people, Nova grabbed her phone to call one of them when she felt a hand on the small of her back. Being the ever vigilant fighter she was, she immediately batted it away and was preparing to defend herself.

“Easy baby girl, we're over this way" Gladiolus chuckled at her reaction, holding her hand to lead them as she resumed a more casual stance. The crowd easily parted before the intimidating large Shield, allowing Gladio and Nova to pass effortlessly.

Nova plopped down in to the booth Gladio had lead her too, sitting beside Noctis while the large man slid in beside her.

“Happy late birthday Novie" Noctis said with a small smirk, giving her a light nudge once she had been situated in her seat.

“Yes, happy belated birthday my dear” Ignis gave a small smile and nod from across the table.

“Happy birthday Nov’s!” Prompto cheered with a wide toothy grin, practically jumping out of his seat.

“Happy birthday baby girl" Gladio smiled, wrapping an arm across her shoulders.

“Thanks guys, you're all too sweet” Nova replied, giving each of them a genuine smile in appreciation.

“You don't look so sick and pasty anymore, being old is a good look for you Novie.” Noctis snickered, earning him a prompt jab to the ribs from his sister.

Nova rolled her eyes and gave a dramatic huff to her brother, “I don't know what kind of back-handed compliment that was, but thanks, I guess? And I'm not old yet baby brother.”

Noctis shrugged with a small smirk, “still older than me.”

“Well yeah, dude, she wouldn't exactly be your big sister if she wasn’t older than you. I think you look great Nov’s, seriously rocking the whole tropical vibes thing.” Prompto jumped in to the mix, causing Noctis to roll his eyes and give a slight glare to the bubbly blonde.

Gladio chuckled, bringing Nova in closer for a squeeze “Gotta say the kid has a point, the tan looks good, really brings out your eyes. What's up with the braids though? Ulric got you going Galahdian on us?” he snorted.

Nova gave her best friend a playful punch in the arm after removing it from around her shoulders. With a slight chuckle and shrug, Nova gave a warm smile.

“I would honestly move to Galahd in a heartbeat if I didn't have my royal obligations here. So no, Nyx isn't _making_ me turn Galahdian, I actually really admire and respect the culture. The braids are kind of Nyx though, but they hold significant meaning and I think they look fucking great” Nova beamed with pride, causing the amber eyes of her best friend to scrutinize the woven hair a bit more closely.

“Will Nyx be joining us this evening? I have been informed that he had managed to get the world’s most notorious fussy eater to consume vegetables. I would very much like to know how and what the recipe is” Ignis asked with genuine curiosity, leaning forward with elbows on the table in front of him.

“I'm not that bad.”

Ignis did not have to say anything but give a pointed look to the prince, not believing for an instant the lie Noctis was attempting to weave. When the emerald eyes continued their relentless scrutiny, Noctis eventually threw his hands up in defeat and gave an exaggerated eye roll in response.

Nova laughed at the interaction before answering the question Ignis had asked, “No, Nyx has a briefing tonight about an elite mission opportunity or something. I'll get the recipe when I see him later for you though.”

“Hmph, it's not enough that he has to be the all mighty Hero? He's gotta go add a promotion to it now too” Gladio huffed with an eye roll at no one in particular.

_What is his fucking deal? One minute he says he's cool with me and Nyx, then the next he’s shitting on him._

Nova gave a slight glare to the Shield beside her but did not say anything, knowing the man and his poor temper all too well. She knew how easily someone could accidentally set him off and that was not something she was mentally prepared to deal with at the moment.

“He's probably just doing what's asked of him Big Guy. But like, as if Nyx wasn’t already super badass, that totally tops it off" Prompto said in awe.

_What a fucking angel, always trying to keep the peace._

With an unimpressed grunt, Gladio stood from the booth and walked towards the bar with out a word to anyone.

_For the love of the Six, I am not dealing with his cranky ass tonight._

Nova sighed and rolled her eyes at the large man's actions but bit her tongue. She gave Prompto a thankful smile and a quick wink, turning the blonde into a blubbering mess for the remainder of the evening.

The topic of Nyx Ulric was dropped amongst the group while they had a small meal at the pub, the change it caused in Gladio’s demeanor was blatantly obvious.

Nova dismissed it for the time being, putting his earlier attitude on the back burner for a discussion at a more appropriate time.

_We're going to have a serious discussion about this yet, Gladio._

As the group left the pub, Gladio placed an arm around Nova's shoulders, he cited that he was meeting up with a friend at a different bar. He gave her a sideways embrace before he walked down the street with a small wave to the boys. Prompto gave Nova what he called a birthday hug and took off sprinting as well towards his part if Insomnia. Ignis had to return to the Citadel to finish paperwork, which left Nova and Noctis to walk the few blocks to their building together.

“Thanks for coming tonight baby brother, I'm honored you made time in your busy schedule of sleeping and eating to make time for me.” Nova said placing an arm around her brother's shoulders as they walked.

“You should be, there's not many people I would give up a nap for.” Noctis gave her a slight smirk, nudging her in the ribs.

“I don't doubt it, it's a hard life you have Noct, I don't know how you manage.” Nova chuckled, while Noctis gave a small shrug.

“With more naps mostly.”

The siblings idly chatted the remainder of the walk to their building. As the elevator reached their floor Noctis held his sister’s arm back before she could enter her apartment.

“Hey Novie, I could tell you weren't too happy about how the big guy was talking about Nyx, but you know how pig headed he can be so try not to take it too personally.”

Nova gave her brother a small, sad grin, “Yeah I know, I just don't get what exactly Gladio's issue is but he really has it out for Nyx.”

“Well, for what it's worth, I like him, he seems like a good guy and you seemed disgustingly happy with him. You should definitely invite him over more often and let me know when he makes food, he's a hell of a cook.”

_My baby brother is almost starting to mature._

Nova gave her brother a heartfelt smile, which Noctis returned with an added hug “Thanks Noct, your opinion is the most important to me anyways. I love you baby brother.”

“Love you too Novie, but seriously, if Nyx cooks, tell me” Noctis gave her one last cheeky grin before heading into his own apartment.

Nova laughed and gently shook her head as she entered her own space. She immediately changed out of her restricting clothes and into the comfort of sweats and a tank, curling into bed as her phone rang.

“Hi Hero.” She smiled into the phone as she answered it.

“My star, I'm sorry I'm so late. Are you still out? I can come meet you” his husky voice warmly replied.

“No, I'm at home in bed. The doors unlocked so just come in.”

“My favorite place for you to be, I'll be there soon and I will be locking that damn door behind me Princess.” Nyx's sultry voice hastily said.

True to his word, Nova could hear her front door open and close with the latch being turned not long after her phone call.

_He must have warped across the damn city to get here that fast._

Light agile footsteps quickly approached her room, Nova sat up in anticipation to greet the man, a genuinely happy smile plastered across her face. Nyx appeared in the doorway moments late, having already removed his Kingsglaive jacket and in the process of removing his shirt.

“Bit eager there, Hero?” Nova laughed, but not before admiring the sight of a shirtless Nyx, who was in the process of undoing his belt buckle.

_Sweet Shiva, he's perfect._

The roguish grin and wink he threw at her was the only response he gave before jumping on top of Nova, pinning her down to bombard her with feather like kisses.

“How was dinner?” Nyx asked in between the kisses he placed on her jawline.

“Good. How was your meeting?” Nova sighed as she shifted her head to the side, allowing Nyx to better access her neck.

“Mm, fine. Still not exactly sure what it’s about though.” He breathed into the crook of her neck, making towards her collarbone.

“You'll find out more tomorrow” Nova slightly moaned as his rough hand began to slide up her shirt and across her stomach while the stubble of his stubble grazed across her soft sensitive skin.

Grey blue eyes snapped up at her, causing her to groan at the lack of his hot breath against her skin. Nyx’s eyes narrowed as her blue eyes met his, scanning over her face.

“You know something.”

“Maybe" Nova shrugged with a sly grin.

“And are you going to tell me?” Nyx asked as he sat up to straddle her, a raised eyebrow and curious look crossing his rugged features.

“Mm, don't think so. I’d hate to ruin the surprise.”

“Princess.”

“Hero.”

Nova flashed him a mischievous smile and a wink, spurring the man on even more. He leaned forward, gently grabbing both of her hands in one of his own to pin above her head, his free hand dug in to her hips, his thumb slithering under her shirt for the calloused pad to rub circles across her skin.

Nyx gently started to kiss and nip at her earlobe and sensitive part of her neck, causing Nova to moan and shiver at his touch. Smirking, Nyx continued his assault on her neck, tender bites trailing down to the crook of her neck and collarbone.

“Tell me" Nyx whispered, his hot breath trailing her neck.

_Oh he's playing dirty now._

“Mmm, not going to happen babe” came Nova’s breathy response.

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at her, a roguish grin spreading across his face as though she just given the man a challenge.

In one shift motion he freed Nova’s hands long enough to remove her tank, just for him to pin her hands above her head once more. He instantly dove back in with a hot mouth on her sensitive flesh. Nyx placed a kiss on the valley between her breasts before his teeth began to graze across her chest, leaving a trail of love bites in his wake. Nova sucked in a sudden breath as his mouth descended on to her nipple, giving it a gentle bite between his teeth before his tongue swirled around it’s hardness.

His free hand roamed, gently teasing along the band of her sweatpants slung around her hips before it moved up, assisting his mouth in taking care of her breasts. His calloused fingers finding her nipple and gently pinching and rolling it between his digits, sending a tiny zap of lightning magic through it.

Nova let out a deep moan after the initial shock had passed, wrapping her foot around the outside of Nyx’s leg as he straddled her, she bucked her hips up, rolling Nyx over on to his back while she looked down to his wicked grin.

“Princess, if you wanted to be on top you just had to ask” his husky voice seductively whispered.

Nova had learned rather quickly the previous night spent in Galahd, that Nyx was a big fan of when she took control, something about her commanding and stern tone had the man begging for more.

 _Ironic since he usually won't obey an order to save his damn life_ she remembered thinking.

With a sly grin, and a glint in her eye she kissed his jawline.

“Mm, I don’t ask for what's already mine, Hero" Nova’s sultry voice purred in his ear as she took the upper hand, nipping at his earlobe.

The effect her voice had on the man was instantaneous, she felt the distinct throb of his cock through his boxers while she straddled him, leaving her own bites and kisses across his neck and chest.

Nova’s hand ran over his lean muscular chest, nails dragging gently down his side to come to a stop on top of his hard cock, teasingly rubbing the tip through the fabric of his boxer briefs.

“Babe, you’re a bit over dressed for the occasion, don't you think?”

Nyx immediately raised his hips, and Nova along with it to remove the cursed garment, his rock hard length springing free and at attention for Nova's every command.

Grasping his shaft in her soft hands, she slowly began to stroke his cock, the moans and her name that fell from his lips was music to her ears and heart.

She placed a trail of kisses from his collarbone down to the V of his hips, she glanced up to see the passion burning in his eyes before her tongue licked from the base of his length to the very tip where his precum was seeping out already.

Nyx immediately let out a low deep moan as her tongue flicked across the slit of his cock, licking up his drops of precum, before gingerly swirling around the head, all the while her hand continued to lazily stroke him.

She took his length as far in to her mouth as she could, her head slowly bobbing around his rock hard shaft while her hand continued to slide along his length. She looked up to meet his eyes as they glazed over in pleasure, she hummed appreciatively as he watched her. The vibrations from it causing Nyx to slightly buck in to her mouth, his breath rapidly speeding up.

Nova lifted her head from his cock long enough to pull Nyx in to a passionate kiss, while continuing to pick up the speed and tightness of her strokes. He moaned in her mouth at his own taste, his breath unsteady as he spoke “ _fuck_ Nov’s, I need you.”

With a smirk on her face, she gave a quick nibble to his earlobe before whispering, “show me then.”

Nyx flipped Nova on to her back, pulling her sweatpants off as his mouth resumed it’s work on her breasts. His fingers slipped in between her folds, deftly finding her clit, he rolled the sensitive bud between his fingers before his thumb took control, rubbing circles around it.

The friction from his rough calloused thumb was already doing a number on her, as Nova let out a long moan. Nyx’s fingers continued down, entering her hot wet core, curling ever so slightly as his pumped, finding the sweet spot that had her calling out his name.

Leaving her breast, his mouth drifted across her abdomen, leaving kisses before he descended on to her clit, gently rolling the sensitive bud between his teeth before his tongue traced circles along it.

She could already feel the beginnings of her orgasm creeping down her stomach with Nyx's relentless mouth on her. A constant rotation of his teeth applying pressure just to be soothed by his tongue flicking at her bundle of nerves while his fingers hit her sweet spot with expert precision with his every pump of his wrist.

Summoning all the willpower she could muster, she gave a Nyx one final order, “Nyx, I need you in me.”

Nyx gave her a lopsided grin before stealing her lips for his own, removing his fingers from her, he grabbed his hard cock, rubbing it along her wet core before thrusting in to her in one shot, sheathing himself in her to the base of his hard on.

They both moaned in to each other's mouths as he entered her, Nova feeling full and Nyx reveling in the warm tightness surrounding him. He grabbed her legs to heave on to his shoulders while he kneeled, the angle allowing him to sink in deeper to her with each thrust.

“Harder Nyx.”

A primal growl left his throat, he bit down hard on to her shoulder as his hips snapped against her, one hand gripping her thigh in place on his shoulder while the other grasped the headboard for more leverage. The headboard slammed against the wall as the bed creaked, threatening to tear apart the wooden boards underneath them and put a hole through the wall with the constant banging against it.

The warm sensation of her orgasm was quickly approaching again as he lifted her hips.

“ _Fuck_ Nyx, I'm almost there" Nova moaned out.

Picking up speed, his thrusts pounded in to Nova as her orgasm crashed over her in waves of pleasure, curses and praises to Nyx leaving her in moans.

Nyx’s own orgasm hit as soon as her core tightened around him, a mix between a deep growl and moan came from his chest as he continued his thrusts as best he could, working Nova through her pleasure while he spilled every last drop of his cum in her.

Nyx collapsed on top of her while they both attempted to catch their breath and calm the beats of their heart. They laid in a silent embrace, Nyx laying his head on Nova’s chest while her fingers ran through his hair.

“Hey Nyx?” Nova said when her heart rate was more even.

“Mhmm.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, my star.”

His grey blue eyes looked up to her, a lopsided grin spread across his features as he gently placed a kiss to her lips. He slowly and reluctantly removed himself from Nova and the bed, scooping her up in his arms.

“How about we have a bath and you can tell me all about tomorrow.”

“I like how you think Hero. Also, I'm still not telling you what I know” Nova chuckled as he carried her to the bathroom.

Nyx was left with a slack jaw while starring at her, causing a hearty laugh to leave him, “ouch, well that plan backfired.”

Nova gave him a playful smack to the chest but laughed with him. Nyx ran them a hot bath, he sat behind her redoing her braids while she leaned against him, enjoying the tender, intimate moment.

The warmth of the water surrounding her, the feel of Nyx's fingers running through her hair, and the man himself whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

The following morning Nova was awoken to the ringing sound of Nyx's phone. His groggy hand picked the device up off the nightstand and mumbled what was almost a coherent greeting.

Nova snuggled in to his back while Nyx listened to the person on the other end, occasionally adding in a grunt in acknowledgement. Once he dropped the phone beside him, he let out a lazy yawn.

“All good?” Nova asked while placing delicate kisses between his shoulder blades.

“Mhmm, Drautos wants me to come in for training this afternoon. Does that have anything to do with what you know?” Nyx sighed into the touches across his skin.

“You'll see soon enough” Nova smiled as she continued her barrage of kisses. “I have to get ready to head into the Citadel soon myself, I'm meeting with Cor about collecting those royal arms.”

Nyx reluctantly sat up to stretch, Nova watched the ripples of his toned muscles flex across his scarred, tan skin “I'll make breakfast?” he said with a relieved sigh from working the knots out of his back.

“Can you make enough for Noct too? I told him I’d let him know if you cooked again.”

Nyx gave her a small soft smile as he stood, “of course my star.”

Nova dragged herself out of bed behind him, while Nyx began to put his uniform back on, "babe, your not actually going to cook breakfast in your Kingsglaive attire?" She asked skeptically.

Nyx gave her a slight shrug and a lopsided grin, "maybe I should start leaving some clothes over here then" he said with a wink. 

"Mm, maybe you should. Here, these should fit you for now" Nova said, passing him a pair of her sweatpants and an oversized shirt Gladio had left behind. 

Nyx gave her an unimpressed look as he held up the shirt, "it's Gladio's" Nova replied his questioning stare with a laugh. 

"Princess, that doesn't help. Now I'm definitely bringing clothes over" he said, throwing the shirt clean across the room.

Nova laughed as she grabbed her robe, "I'll clear out a space in my closet for you then."

Nyx gave her an ecstatic smile and wrapped his arms around her waist, swinging her in the air causing her to squeal with laughter. 

Putting her down with a kiss to the forehead, he went to the kitchen to begin his preparations in just her grey sweats while she padded the short distance across the hall to her brother's apartment.

The sweet, strong smell of fleshly brewed ebony greeted her nostrils as she entered, Ignis was at his usual perch, reading the daily paper at the kitchen table.

“Hey Iggy, Noct still sleeping?”

“Yes, and I dare say he will for at least another hour yet" the man sighed, standing to retrieve a mug of coffee for Nova.

“I’m going to wake him, Nyx is cooking breakfast. It might be a good chance for you to find out his secret to getting Noct to eat a balanced diet" she softly chuckled, humming in appreciation of the hot mug being placed in her hands.

His emerald green eyes lit up at the mention of an opportunity to learn a new recipe, “would he mind?”

“Of course not, bring him over some coffee and he'll spill all of his Galahdian secrets. I'll drag my brother’s ass out of bed if you want to head over now and help him prep.”

Ignis gave a quick nod and was swiftly out the door, grabbing the pot of coffee he had brewed in the process.

Nova trotted into Noct's room, sitting her mug on top of his dresser before instantly throwing his curtains open to let in the light of day to the dark and dingy room her brother lived in. The change in brightness was promptly met with a groan and the quick movement of Noctis bringing the blanket over his head. Approaching the foot of the bed, she hauled the duvet off of the bed entirely.

_Sorry Noct, but you asked for it._

“Go away Novie.”

Nova was the only person who dared wake the slumbering prince in such an abrupt way, Noctis did not even need to open an eye at the assault to know it was his sister as he covered his face with a pillow.

“Nyx is making breakfast baby brother" she happily said, knowing that Noctis had never minded being woken if it meant for food.

_There it is._

The pillow began to slide off his face, a foggy blue eye cracked open to glance at her from the mess of black hair “right now?”

When Nova nodded and hummed in confirmation, Noctis slowly stood up. He  hauled on a random sweater that he had picked up off the bedroom floor and lead the way back to Nova's apartment.

Nyx and Ignis were chopping fruits and vegetables in the kitchen, the advisor was picking the glaives brain, which Nyx happily obliged to answering in exchange for the coffee Ignis had brought.

Noctis plopped at the countertop, vaguely watching the two men after giving them each a slight nod in greeting, but mostly he began falling back asleep where he sat.

Nova took in the scene from the doorway, Nyx threw her a lopsided grin and wink while explaining to Ignis the Galahdian meal they were preparing.

Ignis was thoroughly impressed by the mixture of seasoning while they ate, jotting down notes in a book he pulled from his pocket. 

"Nyx, I think you're officially my favorite boyfriend Novie has ever had" Noctis mumbled as he piled mounds of the smoked meat and vegetable hash in his mouth. 

Nyx laughed in return, "I'm not sure if I should be honored or concerned with how low the bar was" he said with a wink to Nova. 

Noctis shrugged and smirked to his sister and the older man, "bit of both. You're actually the first one I've actually met, so you have that going for you."

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at Nova, who could only give a sheepish smile and shrug in response.

"If I'm lucky, I'll be the first, last and only one you meet then" Nyx replied to Noctis with a lopsided grin and wink. 

"The two of you make me nauseous" Noct said with a joking smirk and chuckle. 

After breakfast, Ignis had left with a handful of new recipes to practice, Noctis was satisfied and needed a post-breakfast nap while Nova and Nyx left her apartment, getting ready to leave for their respected day at the Citadel.

“Did you need a ride home? I can drop you off on the way.”

Nyx shook his head and brushed a rogue strand of Nova’s hair behind her ear, “I'm good, the fresh air will do me some good.”  
Stepping off the elevator, Nyx gave her a quick kiss “I'll call you after I'm done.”

“See you soon Hero.”

As the elevator closed behind Nyx, Nova continued down to the parking garage.

 _Sooner than you know_ she snickered to herself.

When Nova arrive at the Citadel, she went directly to her old room, changing out of the jeans and blouse she had worn to throw Nyx off, and into leggings with an oversized grey tank top she had stolen from Gladiolus that exposed her ribcage and sports bra underneath, with her long dark hair tied up in to a high ponytail.

_Oh fuck_

Nova looked in the mirror at her reflection, noticing the bruised bite marks visible on her shoulder. With a sigh, she attempted to pull the large tank in that direction to sling across her shoulder. 

She swiftly made her way to Cor’s office, knocking once before entering. The Marshal looked from the folders in front of him long enough to acknowledge the intruder, prepared to lecture them about proper knocking etiquette before recognizing it as Nova.

“Have a seat so we can get begin" Cor instructed her, laying out each personnel file in a line so she could browse them from the opposite side of the desk she sat on.

“Go through these, learn each of their strengths but most importantly their weaknesses. I want to you to expose and exploit the flaws every one of them possess during your matches today.” The Marshal elaborated,

“There's also one thing I wish for you to do during the fights, it won't be pleasant but it's necessary” Cor said, his tone more serious than usual.

Nova gave him a nod and waited for him to explaining before she began her studies over the detailed pages, determined to learn as much as she could by the afternoon.

_Let's get down to business then._

Nova stood with Cor and Clarus in the outdoor Kingsglaive training compound discussing the matches when Drautos approached, followed by the potential candidates to accompany Nova around Lucis.

Crowe, Libertus, Pelna and Luche did not pay much mind to the trio they were walking towards, Nyx on the other hand narrowed his gaze at the sight of Nova, who winked at the man when a lopsided grin appeared on his face, she could tell he had finally put the pieces together.

_There it is Hero._

“Listen up, the lot of you are in the hands of the Marshal and the Shield today, do as you're told and make the Kingsglaive proud” the Captain said with a quick nod to the two men and a slight bow to Nova who nodded in return.

“Each of you have been hand selected for your aptitude and abilities in the field. Without going into specifics, the successful candidate will be assigned to Nova. You will frequently be leaving the Crown City, upon return the successful candidate will proceed with normal glaive duties, when and if necessary.” Cor explained to the five soldiers lined in a row in front of him.

“You will all take turns in fighting against Nova. Then her, Cor and I, will determine who is best suited for the job. If it is a role none of you wish to fulfill, then now is the time to bow out.” Clarus continued, his blue eyes searching each of them for any hesitation.

Not a single glaive moved, they all continued to hold their professional stance in unison.

Nova moved ahead of them, with a determined expression and fierce eyes she looked over each glaive. No longer did she see her friends in front of her but soldiers, each who could prove to be a liability to her out in the field.

_This is strictly business, nothing personal._

“Good, I don't want any of you going easy on me because I sure as hell will not be gentle on you. If I noticed that a single one of you are holding back, then may the Astral's have mercy on you, because you will not receive any from me. Are we understood?”

The authority she commanded over the troops was a exquisite mixture of the regal poise taught from the King and the blunt directness learned from the Marshal, it was a fine line that she walked with complete confidence.

“Yes ma'am" rang out throughout the small group, Nova nodded in return and dropped down to the training floor.

She cleared her mind as she slowly walked across the loose gravel, she needed to allow room for the warrior within her to dictate her movements and mind, to react and move without consciously thinking.

“Ostium, you're up first.”

 _Son of a bitch_ he thought, attempting to refrain from letting out the deep sigh that was stuck in his chest.

Libertus made his way to join Nova on the ground level of the complex. Cor, Clarus and the other glaives walked to the edge of the ledge in order to observe from above. Once stationed across the arena, Libertus and Nova each gave a small nod to each other, indicating they were ready to begin.

Nova warped in hard and fast, daggers rapidly slicing, attempting to infiltrate his defenses. When none were immediately found, Nova would warp out of the man's reach, just to swoop in again with a different weapon. Libertus managed to parry and counter a few of Nova’s attacks, however he was mostly left on the defensive. Every time he thought there was an opening she had warped away, leaving him standing there alone until the next assault had began.

Nova’s speed and grace far out ranked Libertus, it had not taken long for the man to feel overwhelmed by her sheer stamina.

Nova came to a dead stop when Cor’s voice rang out overhead. Libertus though, not being use to pausing on command the way Nova had been trained, ended up continuing on to close the few steps between them and deeply slicing Nova’s upper arm before coming to a complete stop.

 _Fuckfuckfuck_ Libertus chanted in his mind.

 _Son of a bitch_ , Lib Nova thought, ignoring the burning pain that now shot through her bicep.

“Enough, Altius, you're in.”

Libertus stood horrified as he watched the blood steadily gush down the length of Nova’s arm, she gave the man an annoyed glance but did not say anything to him or attempt to stop the blood flow, allowing it to freely stream from her veins, splattering on to the gravel to create a small pool of red beneath her feet.

Crowe tapped him on the shoulder when she neared, he slowly turned to exit the area but not before giving Nova an apologetic smile, her face however, remained unreadable.

“Watch out, dead man walking" Crowe yelled up to the crowd above her which earned a round of laughter from Pelna and Luche. Cor and Clarus remained emotionless, and if looks could kill, the glare Nyx gave his best friend would have struck him down, as if Ramuh himself had sent down the killing blow.

With a nod, Crowe and Nova immediately began their attacks. Crowe began to blast fire magic towards Nova whenever she was farther away and strike out with lightning when Nova warped close, forcing her to continuously dodge out of the way.

Nova threw up a few shields to protect her from Crowe’s magic before unleashing a blast of her own, the chill of the ice Nova sent towards the mage could be felt biting at the skin of the spectators face’s above.

Nova sent a dagger flying above Crowe, who immediately began to send a spell in that direction when another dagger to her side drove into the ground, with a crack of blue and Nova following it.

Panicking, Crowe grabbed at her dagger in anticipation of blocking an attack, combining the lightning she had been preparing to electrify her blade, she swung out in to empty air as Nova dove below the swing.

Nova’s close quarters combat skills outshone Crowe's, being a mage she had never truly relied on hand-to-hand combat. It showed just how much she had been poorly outclassed when daggers came at different angles at her.

Cor yelled out, causing Nova to again stop abruptly. Crowe had just began to flick her wrist to throw her dagger but did not respond fast enough to slow her momentum, this time creating a minor slash across Nova’s forearm.

“Enough, Khara, you're turn.”

 _Oh Crowe._ Nova internally sighed, pushing the pain away to the back of her mind as the new wound throbbed.

A cringe crossed Crowe’s features as she watched blood drop to the ground from Nova’s newest gash. Nova only had a look of stoic resignation written across her face, not even acknowledging the slash.

 _What in the fuck was that shit?!_ Crowe pondered, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

When Crowe passed Pelna on the steps, she gave him a worried glance and whispered “she could have easily blocked that, she let it hit her and I don't know why” Pelna nodded his agreement to that observation.

Libertus gave Crowe a sympathetic look when she rejoined the other glaives, Luche snickered and Nyx felt his anger boiling within him, as though Ifrit had set his veins ablaze.

Following suit of the previous two glaives, Pelna nodded to Nova when he was ready to begin. From observing the following matches, Pelna immediately fell into a defensive position, throwing up a shield around him. As he had anticipated, Nova warped in front of him and began to strike, coming up solid against the force field.

Pelna followed through with his blade, hoping to catch Nova off guard. She parried his attack and began to counter when he utilized his lightning and struck out, forcing Nova to create her own shield.

When the electric assault diminished, Nova attacked again with her sword in one hand, kukri in the other. She would take long and wide slices with the sword, while diving in with the kukri in short jabs, an endless flow of strikes as Pelna could only block and back up, attempting to create some distance between them.

Pelna did not have the mastery of his movements and body the way Nova had, he always had to think two steps ahead while Nova fluidly seeped in and around his blades.

His foot work began to get sloppy, as a last ditch effort he dove into a roll under her swing, forcing her to throw a shield up. Yet again, the Marshal’s voice rang out, as Pelna continued to follow through on his stab. He had enough consciousness to turn the stab into a slice at the last moment, grazing along Nova’s ribcage, her barrier having disappeared the moment Cor yelled out, confirming Crowe’s earlier suspension of allowing the hit.

“Stop, Lazarus, go.”

 _Solid attempt Pelna._ Nova thought, genuinely impressed with the young man, suppressing the acute ache that stretched the length of her side.

 _You've got to be kidding_ Pelna groaned and shook his head as he watched the faintest trail of blood drops line and ooze from the slice along Nova’s ribcage.

Luche smirked and snickered at Pelna as he passed, while Crowe and Libertus gave him soft smiles and a pat on the back upon his return. Nyx had decided he needed to find new friends because he was ready to murder his closest ones, Titan himself would not be able to hold him back at this point.

As soon as Luche's feet hit the ground of the compound, he did not give Nova the time to prepare, forgoing the indicating nod to begin. Nova was ready however and dropped into a defensive position, easily parrying the strike he sent in after warping in front of her.

Luche was the first of the glaives to put her on the constant defensive, bombarding her with his assault. Nova allowed him to continue, patiently waiting for her prime opportunity to turn the playing fields.

He sliced high and low, inside and wide with his daggers but every time his blades were stopped in place with Nova's. This type of fight was Nova's bread and butter from so many years sparring against Gladiolus, the similarities were uncanny. Luche relied just the same as Gladio did on brute strength and holding the offensive, but Nova knew an opportunity would present itself before long.

Sure enough, once she noticed his pattern of attack, Nova turned the tides and had Luche backtracking on his heels. He blocked and parried all of the attacks she sent her way.

Determined to have the upper hand again, he allowed one of her slices through his defenses to skim across his battle armor.

Luche had proven to be a more formidable combatant than the previous glaives, however his impatience in battle made him angry, resulting in careless moves, while Nova maintained her cool, calculated performance.

His dagger came in an up swing, Cor’s voice boomed through the complex. Luche almost managed to completely stop on the spot, the very point of his blade gingerly resting on Nova’s cheek since she had yet again, refused to block the blow at a moment's notice of the Immortal’s voice.

 _Damn it, I almost had her_ Luche grumbled in his mind.

“That's enough, Ulric, it’s your turn.”

 _Hmm, not bad_ Nova appreciated the effort he had given.

As soon as Luche lowered his weapon, the tiniest droplets of blood trickled down the side of her face. He growled at the sight and immediately whipped around, not saying a word to Nyx as they passed. The look Nyx gave him was as cold as Shiva's storms, but he bit his tongue.

As Nyx stepped on the floor and across from Nova, his frantic grey eyes met her stoic blue ones before getting a better, closer look at the injuries she had sustained so far.

Blood coated and caked Nova’s arm from her bicep all the way down to her fingers, continuing gush more as it almost limply hung to her side. Her other arm had a steady trail of blood dripping from her forearm, around her fingers and down the tip of her blade, his very own kukri.

Another delicate trace of red went from her hip up to just under her arm pit, the blood would have stained her leggings had they not been midnight black. And finally was the tiny droplets of red streaking down her fair features, across the cheekbones he loved to leave gentle kisses on.

_My star, what have they done to you?_

His heart broke at the sight of her wounds, but the unwavering strength and determination she exuded was inspiring. Nyx could instantly tell from the flames burning in her eye’s that although she was battered, she was far from broken and was not to be trifled with.

Nyx put his pride and devotion for Nova in his back pocket to save until after the match.

With a deep breath in and a sigh out, he nodded to Nova and they were both off.

Nova and Nyx had warped directly at each other, Nova leaped above Nyx’s attack while he rolled under hers, each coming to a sliding stop before diving back in again.

Both of them fought with two weapons each, Nyx with his Galahdian and Insomnian kukris and Nova with the scimitars she had acquired with him in Galahd. With both of them wielding two weapons, each of them had one that would attack while the other would defend.

Nova was able to maintain a slight distance from Nyx's weapons since her blades were longer, allowing her to have a greater reach. Metal rang out against metal in a never ending melodic melody, Nova would slice with one scimitar, Nyx would block with one hand while slashing with the other, which Nova would parry.

Both of them warped away from each other to just meet in the middle again, the clash ringing out again. Nova threw each of her scimitars in two different directions, Nyx assuming she would warp to the one that landed closer to him, prepared to block from that side. Instead, Nova pulled a sword from her armiger and dove in. Nyx was able to bring his kukris up in time to form a X, trapping her blade between his own.

Summoning her scimitars back to her grasp and allowing her hostage sword to return to her armiger, Nova swung one blade high and wide, and the other low and close. Nyx was quick enough for it to merely graze across the chest plate of his armor.

Nyx's stamina rivaled her own, his blade work was clean and concise, and his footwork agile and light. The only difference between himself and Nova, was that she was hardly trying while Nyx gave it his all.

For the final time, Cor's voice echoed throughout the training grounds. Nyx had just begun to counter Nova’s slash along his chest, blade aimed for her torso when he dropped the kukri from his hand at the drop of a dime, metal loudly clanging on the gravel underfoot.

 _For the love of the Six, that was close_ Nyx sighed, terrified of hurting Nova, although he knew she could handle it, he did not think his own heart could.

“Enough, that concludes the matches.”

 _Good job my love_ Nova soared with pride that Nyx did not hold back or treat her any differently given their relationship.

Nyx immediately separated the remaining steps between them, placing each of his hands on either of her shoulders for stability.

She finally let out a sigh of relief, with soft eyes she gave him a smile, leaning into the touch, the blood loss was taking a toll on her, beginning to make her feel weak and lightheaded now that the adrenaline was wearing thin.

“It looks worse than it feels, Hero" Nova chuckled as she saw the worry behind Nyx’s eyes, causing him to scoff and shake his head, laughing softly at her using his own words against him.

Nyx had to fight every fiber of his being in picking her up to carry her, but with the Marshal and Shield scrutinizing his every move, he had thought better of it. Placing an arm around Nova's waist while she threw her better of two arms around his shoulders, allowing him to relieve her of some of the weight her body was currently feeling while her mind began to lose focus.

They joined the others on the upper ridge of the complex, Nyx joining his fellow glaives while Nova stood with Cor and Clarus. The Immortal handed her an elixir after noting each of the injuries she has endured. The older men had a heated and hushed discussion which Nova occasionally contribute to while she healed. The Kingsglaive soldiers watched from afar, idly stand by in silence awaiting a verdict.

Not long after, the Marshal, Shield and Sword approached the candidates together, Cor stepped ahead to stand in front of them with Nova near his side, motioning towards her, he addressed the glaives.

“Each of these wounds indicates one of you were not agile or disciplined enough to immediately follow a command, ironic that the only one of you who is notorious for not following orders was the sole person to obey with no hesitation.”

The five glaives could not help but look over the remnants of the wounds each of them had inflicted on Nova, blood caked to her skin marking it perfectly. Except for Nyx, who overlooked all of the pink scars that were forming, he had to take a breath to calm the inner turmoil to snap the necks of his fellow glaives.

Although, that did look an awful lot like a bite mark on her shoulder, he had to bite the inside of his cheek from laughing at the passionate wound he had indeed left her with. 

“Now, that's not to say it is the only leading factor in this decision. Ostium, although you're a skilled fighter at close quarter combat, you're inability to keep pace with Nova makes you not a good fit.”

_Kind of figured._

Libertus gave a nod to Cor in acknowledgement and a soft, sad grin to Nova, who gave him a genuine smile in return.

“Altius, you are by far the most talented mage in the Kingsglaive however, you do not have enough skills with the blade to accompany Nova. There are times when magic won’t work out there which would cause you to be dead weight until you hone your fighting skills.”

_Ouch, true, but ouch._

Crowe nodded in agreement to the Marshal, and gave a smile and shrug to Nova who returned the gesture.

“Khara, you're a fine soldier in the making and if you had a few more years experience I believe you would have been a fine choice, especially given your observation and intuition skills. However, you're movements are still sluggish and unsure. You lack the confidence to support Nova out there.”

_I can live with that._

Pelna nodded at both Cor and Nova in understanding, which Nova returned with a lighthearted smile.

“That leaves Lazarus and Ulric. Both of you are the best the Kingsglaive has to offer and it shows through in your movements and ability, either of you would prove to be an excellent choice. Which leads us to the tie breaker of who obediently and promptly followed the instructions to stand down.”

 _This is bullshit._ Luche tried not to roll the eyes.

A lopsided grin spread across Nyx’s face as Nova gave him a small wink and a smirk.

_Holy fucking shit._


	22. The Shield & The Hero

_“When you stop seeing others as rivals,_  
_You will celebrate who they are rather than envy them.”_  
_-Lisa Bevere_

 

“Are you _fucking_ kidding me?”

“I assure you that I'm not ‘fucking kidding’ you, son.” Clarus replied with a deep sigh, a sharp edge trickling in to the tone of his voice, warning Gladiolus he ought to proceed the remainder of this conversation with caution.

“I should be the one going out there, not him. I've been the one who has been trained by her side every single day for the past ten years. I'm the one who knows her better than anyone else. What was even the fucking point of all of it then?” Gladio’s voice rose with every word he said, the very core of his being was becoming increasingly enraged as he continued his tirade on the matter.

_Why the fuck did I spend an entire fucking decade training with her if I'm not going to get sent out to protect her when the opportunity comes up?_

Clarus was visibly beginning to become exasperated, his patience wearing incredibly thin towards his son. He leaned back in his chair and away from his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose to calm himself for a moment before he responded to his visibly agitated son.

“While I agree that you should have been the one selected in accompanying her, especially given your rapport and history, I even said as much to Cor before we had even decided, it seems as though you are forgetting about your sworn royal duties to the prince are you not?”

Although Gladio knew his father was providing a true and valid point, he was long past the point of being reasoned with.

“Fuck my duties, I'm the one that should be with her-" he growled, his amber eyes burning in fury at the thought of Nyx traveling Lucis with Nova, “- he's reckless, doesn't obey orders and is going to get her killed out there.”

_This is fucking bullshit._

“Gladiolus, enough.” His tone was stern and commanding, standing to rise from his chair, Clarus might have been physically smaller than his son but he was no less intimidating when the occasion called for it.

“You know as well as I do, that you're sworn to the prince, not to Nova.”

“Yeah, well, I was her Shield before I was his. Not my fault the Crystal chose Noctis. You're the one that drove it in my head for my first eight years on Eos that I had to protect Nova, no matter what. It’s not just something I could suddenly switch off” Gladio responded with a growl, he threw his arms up on either side of him, the meaning of his gesture rang crystal clear to his father.

_What did you expect me to do._

The younger Shield was walking dangerously close to his breaking point.

Clarus let out a small sigh, his firm stance unwavering as he addressed his son, “I'm not asking for you to stop protecting Nova as a friend, I am telling you that it is no longer your job as a Shield. You need to allow someone else to step up to that mantle.”

“I know, but, why Ulric?” Gladio grumbled, sitting with a huff in the chair across from his father’s desk. He was beginning to loss the steam of rage he had held behind him and was rapidly sinking into the denial and defeat stage.

Gladiolus brought a hand up to rub his face in the hopes that it would relieve the stress and anger that had built up within him, “they’re in a relationship you know, isn't that like conflict of interest or he's compromised in his duties or some shit?”

The young Shield knew he was reaching for straws with that, but the pleading behind his amber eyes made Clarus release a deep sigh.

Slowly, the elder Shield sunk back in to his own chair before addressing his son again.

“Gladiolus, if they are in a relationship, as you say they are, then would that not mean Nyx Ulric would fight tooth and nail to protect her? That he would be even less likely to put her in a compromising situation? If anything, I personally believe that makes him even more equipped and qualified for the role he has earned.” Clarus said softly, reading the pain and hurt in his son’s eyes.

He slowly continued on, treading in to a topic that could potentially cause more grief between him and his son but it was one he believe needed to be breached either way.

“Is all of this actually because Nova is in a relationship with Ulric and not yourself?”

_Ughh, why does everyone assume that? Can't a guy just be friends with a girl without it being romantic?_

The younger Shield scoffed at his father's words, but the hurt behind his eyes betrayed him. Clarus was neither young nor naïve, he could see the conflict and confusion battling behind the amber eyes of his son, he could only assume that he had guessed correctly.

“Look, it's not even like that. She's my best friend, that's it. And it’s because she's my best friend that I don't want to see her get killed out there by an unqualified glaive who doesn't respect authority" Gladio grumbled in annoyance, leaning back in his chair while he crossed his arms.

“If he's so unqualified then perhaps you should spar against him, it might put your mind more at ease. Do not misinterpret my words though son, Ulric will still escort Nova, whether you like it or not is irrelevant” Clarus said slow and sternly, leaving no room for Gladio to debate.

_You're damn right I don't like it._

Gladio gave his father a quick nod before raising from his chair to leave. Perhaps what his father proposed would do the trick to easing his anger.

_Maybe beating him up a bit will make me feel better._

Immediately after leaving the office, Gladio went in search of his second most trusted confidant to discuss what he had just learned.

He could not exactly go straight to Nova about his turmoil over the decision, he knew it would only end up with them in a fight. He arrived at the room Ignis occupied only moments later, barging in without notice.

Ignis let out a slight sigh, he did not need to raise his head from his mountains of paperwork to determine who his intruding guest was, “Gladio, what do you want?”

Gladio rolled his eyes and gave a slight chuckle while he pulled out the seat across from Ignis, stretching his legs out and leaning back in the chair with his hands folded behind his head.

“So, I just found out from Noct during training this afternoon that Nyx was going to be deployed with Nova every time she gets sent out. I just confronted my old man about it, cause honestly, it's bullshit. Anyways, he thinks I should spar against Ulric to see what he's made of. I need your help, what do you think?” the Shield asked the Advisor, his tone laced with irritation and displeasure.

A vexing sigh left Ignis as he dropped his pen on top of the piles of paperwork in front of him, he let out one last minor sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose to calm his words.

“We both are fully aware Nyx is more than qualified for that job, he is a veteran and one of the strongest soldiers of the Kingsglaive after all. This strictly pertains to the feelings you have for Nova that you refuse to acknowledge, the ones I have been telling you for years that you possess. As for fighting Nyx, I think that is a terrible idea that could land you in a very uncomfortable situation with Nova, more so then the one you have already created with this blatant jealousy towards her boyfriend.”

Ignis sighed once more, reclining in his own chair, “my apologies, that may have been a bit more direct and blunt than I intended. I've had a trying day and may have directed that energy on to you.”

Gladiolus had to sit for a moment to take in everything Ignis had said, he had never seen the young royal advisor get so flustered so quickly. He quickly let out a deep sigh while rubbing the back of his neck, the tension knotting his muscles, after he had processed it all.

“Damn Iggy, you weren't pulling any punches on that one, were you?” Gladio slowly and softly chuckled.

“Again, I apologize for being so straightforward in my thoughts. You need to deal with your feelings for Nova and whatever your issues are with Nyx Ulric. May I suggest talking to both of them?” Ignis as always, provided the diplomatic approach, it took every fiber of Gladio's being not to roll his eyes.

_Talk? Seriously Iggy? C'mon._

With a heavy sigh, Gladio rose from the seat and began to approach the door, “thanks for the insight, I'm just going to go confront Ulric and see what happens” with a wave over his shoulder, Gladio was out the door.

Gladio was not sure how to even go about finding Nyx, he assumed the best place to start was at the Kingsglaive training compound while he was already at the Citadel.

The young man had never stepped foot in the complex before, he never had a need or want to when the Crownsguard quarters provided enough equipment for him to train.

He was genuinely surprised to see the difference between the two training grounds, the glaives area was far more rugged and make shift than he would have expected.

They were not privy to the same high end gym machine equipment as the guard, in it’s place they had massive tires, heavy duty ropes were everywhere in the room, including hanging from the ceiling that a few glaives were currently in a race to climb. There was a strange weight sled he had never seen before, and what he could only think looked like adult monkey bars as he watched glaives swinging through the course.

Briefly glancing around the room, it did not take Gladio overly long to spot just the man he was on the hunt for. Nyx happened to be at the only section of equipment in the whole room that Gladio was intimately familiar with, the free weights.

_Shit, maybe Iggy’s right. This could be a terrible plan._

Gladio’s hesitation did not go unnoticed by the Hero, Nyx had noticed the heads turn around him so he had followed the gazes in the mirror he stood in front of, all pointing to the out of place Shield located by the door.

 _This could be interesting_ Nyx thought as he sat down the dumbbell, wiping the sweat from his brow with the inside of his tank. He grabbed his water bottle to take a swig before approaching the young man.

Gladio gave him a curt nod as Nyx approached, which he promptly returned.

“You lost Amicitia?” Nyx asked when he got close enough, genuinely intrigued as to what would bring the large man in to the glaives neck of the woods.

It was unheard of for Crownsguard to come into their area, not that they were not welcome, it was just most of the guard thought too little of the glaive to mingle closely with them.

“Nahh, I was looking for you" Gladio responded to Nyx, who crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in response before speaking.

“And how may I help his mighty Shield today?” Nyx smirked, his curiosity getting the better of him now.

Gladio’s amber eyes snapped away from the sights of the gym surrounding them to narrow and slightly glare at the grey blue ones of his counterpart.

“Heard you were assigned to escorting Novie on her missions, I wanted to make sure you were up for the job" Gladio crossed his own arms while he spoke, purposely flexing his arms and chest in an attempt to intimidate the smaller man.

Nyx merely laughed, taking another large gulp from his water bottle, “are you seriously asking if I'm up for traveling around Lucis with my girlfriend? I know you're smarter than that Amicitia.”

Gladio gave a slight growl from his words and meaning being misconstrued, “no, I want to make sure your physically up for it. I want you to spar with me so I can see for myself.”

 _Hmm, this is more interesting than I expected_ Nyx thought, his eyes narrowing at the younger man. 

The older man looked Gladiolus up and down, it was a tempting offer to say the least, he had dreamed of bringing down the young Shield’s ego a few notches for quite some time.

A moment passed, as Nyx yet again took another chug of water, but it was for more of a power move over the Shield as opposed to a necessity.

A sly grin began to spread across his face as he saw the irritation flash behind the amber eyes of his competitor.

“I'll make you a deal, if you can beat my time on the glaives training circuit, then I'll fight you” Nyx replied smugly.

Gladio scoffed at the absurdity of the proposal, he was the definition of physically fit.

 _Walk in the park_ Gladio thought as he rolled his eyes.

“You're on Ulric.”

Nyx gave a large smile and wink while taking another drink of water.

Gladiolus memorized the route the Hero took as Nyx’s lean, nimble figure gracefully climbed the woven rope wall, jumping down to the floor, he quickly walked across a beam attached to the ground before jumping across to a rope. Swinging from the rope he sprinted along another narrow beam, jumping off to immediately crawl under more of the woven ropes.

Quickly back on his feet, Nyx squatted to pick up the edge of the tire, flipping it over the 20 foot expanse as fast as he could. Springing up, Nyx easily swung across the metal rails of the monkey bars, as soon as his feet touched ground again he was sprinting halfway up a wooden wall before using the attached robe to pull himself up over the edge. At the top of the wall he leaped in the air, catching hold of the rope attached to the ceiling, pulling himself up with steady arms and hands.

As soon as Nyx punched the buzzer located on the top, he skillfully descended the rope almost as quickly as he had climbed it, lightly jogging towards the Shield when he was on the ground again.

_Perfect run, if I do say so._

One of the nearby glaives that was observing threw a bottle of water to the Hero as he approached Gladio, with a smug smirk he raised an eyebrow and nodded towards the course, “minute and fifty- seven seconds. Let’s see what you got Amicitia.”

_Oh, this is going to be good._

Gladio rolled his eyes and walked away in a huff, he approached the starting position and glanced over the course one more time.  
Climb, beam, jump, swing, beam, crawl, lift, swing, climb, jump, climb, done.

At this point all of the Kingsglaive in the complex had gathered around to observe the first Crownsguard to attempt their obstacle course, Nova did it all of the time but they considered her more of a glaive than a guard to count.

_Great, an audience._

Gladiolus started strong right out of the gate as he sprinted towards and partially up the woven wall, his hands and feet immediately finding holds. It was on his walk across the narrow beam where things began to slow him down. His footwork was phenomenal in battle but he had never been overly concerned with being light footed and swift.

_Slight set back, still good._

He did not have as much momentum on swinging across the rope as he would have cared for but his long legs made up for that, crossing another of those painful damn beams his massive frame dove beneath the ropes, crawling as fast as he could under them.

Flipping the tire end-over-end had proved to be the easiest part for him so far and he had managed to do it in half the time Nyx did.

The monkey bars slowed him far more than he was expecting it would, instead of the graceful swings Nyx had accomplished, Gladio more so just hung there while reaching from bar to bar.

_This should not be that fucking difficult._

The young Shield could already fell his biceps and core burning more than he had anticipated as he sprinted to the wooden wall. His large stature proved in his favor yet again since he almost could have cleared the wall without utilizing the rope.

Reaching the top, he jumped out to catch hold of the rope hanging from the ceiling, the burn of it sliding between his hands almost made him lose his grip before he began the painstaking climb the 50 feet to the ceiling.

_For the love of fucking Shiva all mighty._

The muscles in his arms and abdomen were almost burning as much as the rope burn on his hands by the time he reached the top and pushed the buzzer. If Gladio thought going down would be any easier, he had been sorely mistaken, his limbs began ache in protest as he descended. As soon as he was able to he dropped the remaining distance and on to the floor with a slight thud.

Out of breath with sore, aching muscles that were beginning to shake from the effort, Gladio lightly jogged the distance between him and Nyx, stretching his limbs in the process.

_What in the sweet fuck?_

Nyx greeted him with a smug smile, the glaives surrounding him immediately breaking ranks as he approached.

“Two minutes fifty- nine seconds. I’m not going to lie, I'm slightly impressed Amicitia, you didn't do half bad" Nyx flashed him a genuine smile and gave him a solid pat on the arm.

Gladio was baffled, he worked out and trained every day, he should have done the course with complete ease.

“I don't get it, I should have been able to do that no problem.”

Between the look of confusion on the Shield's face and uncertain tone, Nyx could not help but to let out a hearty laugh with a genuine smile.

“You're problem is that you have too many show muscles and not enough active muscles for performance. You may look super jacked, but they don't give you the power and total body strength you need” Nyx explained, Gladiolus absorbed every word he said.

It took a moment for Nyx to receive a response, but when he finally did it was hardly one he would have expected.

“Not gonna lie Ulric, I'm pretty fucking impressed with you right now. I still want to spar against you, but I'm going to honor our deal and beat your time before we do" a determined smile spread across his face as he spoke, but also a flash of respect behind his eyes towards the glaive.

Nyx smirked back at him in return with a nod, “we’ll whip you in to proper shape yet Amicitia, just need to get you off that high horse you ride in the guard and join the glaives for a few sessions.”

_Maybe he isn't so bad after all._

Gladiolus let out a genuine hearty laugh, slapping Nyx on the shoulder he gave the other man a nod, “perhaps I will come down more often. I'm not done with you yet though Ulric, I need to see for myself you are capable of keeping Novie safe. Being agile doesn't mean shit.”

Nyx shot him a smug look and nod before walking away, with a wave over his shoulder, Gladio heard him call out, “a minute fifty- seven. You hit two minutes even, and then we'll fight.”

Gladiolus spent the afternoon continuously going through the course, he was not confident but he was fairly certain he was getting worse with each run instead of improving.

With a huff he sat on the floor, overlooking the obstacles. Footsteps gently approached him before a hand was placed in front of his face.

“C'mon, you've done all you can for one day. Let’s go grab a bite and a drink.”

Reluctantly, Gladio accepted the hand, Nyx pulled him up with little effort, surprising the Shield for the second time today.

The two men walked in silence to the bar nearest to the Citadel, Nyx quickly grabbed two of the largest draft beers available while Gladio grabbed a booth for them.

Sliding one of the 32oz mugs to the man across from him, Nyx took a large gulp and leaned back in his seat, studying the young Shield.

If Gladio was uncomfortable, he never showed it, starring right back at the glaive, amber eyes scrutinizing Nyx as well.

“What's your deal? Why do you hate me?” Nyx was not in the mood to proceed with caution, the animosity between them was palpable.  
The directness of Nyx's question caught Gladio off guard, almost snorting beer through his nose.

Once he coughed a few times and he had gained his composure again, he looked up to see Nyx wearing a shit-eating grin at his minor episode.

“I don't hate you Ulric, I just think you’re reckless, insubordinate and a womanizer who is going to break Novie’s heart” Gladio huffed, gulping at more of his beer.

Nyx hummed while drinking more himself, “Yes, I’m reckless. If putting my life on the line means saving my fellow glaives lives, then so be it. Yes, I'm insubordinate. Because I'm the only one with the balls to question and refuse a direct order if that command puts any of my team’s lives in danger. And I promise you, I'm completely committed to Nov's, even if I wasn’t, she would be the first to have my head on a stake in front of the Citadel before anyone else" Nyx laughed.

Gladiolus took a moment to weigh the weight of the words Nyx had spoken. He could not argue or disagree with the points he made, if anything they hit a little too close to home for the young Shield.

_Kind of like how my duty has me willing to die if it meant saving Noctis._

“I guess, I didn't really see it from your side before I made up my mind about you. And you're right about Novie, she's not a woman to fuck around with" he joined in on Nyx’s laughter with a small chuckle of his own.

Leaning back, Gladio looked at Nyx in front of him with a new found sense of respect. “Your turn, what’s your deal against me?”

Nyx gave a small smirk and shrug, casually throwing an arm around the top of the booth behind him and drinking his beer with the other, “Easy, you're too uptight and protective of Nov's who is fully capable of taking care of herself, she doesn't need either of us to do that for her. You walk around with this massive ego, just because you're the Shield to the prince. It's a role you were born in to that you haven't earned the respect for yet, although you seem to you think you automatically deserve it.”

Gladio’s jaw must have hit the ground or pretty close to it by the time Nyx was finished speaking. Initially his first reaction was to snap out in rage, but Nyx's calm demeanor and with a bit of help from the relaxing effects the beer had given him, Gladio took time in order to pause and process.

With a sigh, Gladio rubbed a large hand across his face then polished off his remaining beer, “you’re the second person to tell me today how they see it.”

Nyx gave him a slight smirk, “maybe that's something you need more of to keep that ego in check.”

“You might be partially right. You’re definitely right about Novie, she's beaten my ass too many times to argue that. And the whole ego thing, I don't know what to tell you about that, I don't think I’ve earned or deserved any respect yet. I only hope that one day I finally will, like my old man has” Gladio shrugged, at a bit of a loss of what to say.

Nyx finished his drink as well, his eyes searching Gladio's own. Once he determined he was being honest in his statements, Nyx could feel some of his previous resentment fizzle away, the young Shield accidentally earning a bit of his respect with his admission.

“There might be hope for you yet, Amicitia. But I do still have one final thing to ask you.”  
Nyx’s eyes narrowed to judge the man and his answer, Gladio nodded and motioned for him to proceed.

“Are you in love with Nova and do I have to worry about you trying to steal her from me?”

Gladio let out a deep sigh before answering, his amber eyes looked up to meet the firm gaze of Nyx's grey blue eyes. With as much sincerity as he could muster, he met the Hero’s gaze, “no, I love Nova but I am not in love with her. As long as you treat her with respect, you're loyal to her and she's happy, I have no reason to interfere” his voice was unwavering and stern.

Nyx paused for a moment before a genuine smile spread across his face, and he raised his glass to the younger man, although it was empty, Gladio understood the sentiment and nodded.

“Good. I want you to promise me though that if anything ever happens to me, you'll be there for her, you'll take care of her.” The smile had dropped from his face, Nyx was completely serious with an air of melancholy surrounding him, his tone laced with sorrow.

Gladio quirked an eyebrow at him for the sudden change in demeanor and conversation, Nyx gave him a forced sad smile and a one shoulder shrug before elaborating.

“Being in the Kingsglaive has a certain, short life span attached to it, don't get me wrong, I'm not going to go out looking to get killed. But if I know Nova would be taken care of if it were to happen, it would make things more, bearable” Nyx attempted not to sound as broken as he felt on the inside at the thought, his voice threatened to crack but he somehow managed to maintain his composure.

Gladio did not even have to contemplate his answer, the words rolling off his tongue effortlessly, “I swear I will.”

After a moment, Nyx gave him an appreciative nod before a lopsided grin spread across his features again.

“Now that the heavy topics are out of the way, what say we get another beer, this round on you?” he chuckled and threw a wink at the younger man who was already in the process of getting up to head to the bar.

_Son of a bitch, Iggy might have been right after all._

The two men were able to put most their hostility away with each beer they downed, realizing they actually shared a lot more in common than just Nova.

As the night wore on, and the drinks kept being poured, Nyx found that despite Gladio's large stature, he was not quite able to handle his booze quite as well as himself.

_Poor kid wouldn't last a night in Galahd._

Gladiolus leaned heavily on the leaner man, “ya know, you ain't half bad Ulric.”

Nyx gave a hearty laugh in response, practically dragging the young Shield towards their destination, “thanks kid, you're alright too.”

Gladio began to hiccup as he shimmied his feet along the road, “not gonna lie _-hic-_ I really didn't, still don’t, like _-hic-_ you _-hic-_ with Novie. Thought you'd _-hic-_ try to just _-hic-_ fuck and chuck her.”

Nyx shook his head, seeing his destination coming in to view, “I know my reputation and track record doesn't exactly instill confidence, but I swear to you Gladio, I love her with all my heart, and would never do anything to hurt her."

Gladiolus brought up solid, a shit eating grin spread across his face momentarily only to be ruined by the heaves that came from him as he doubled over on the sidewalk.

Nyx waved off the few people who happened to be walking by, giving them an apologetic smile and nod.

When Gladio regained his composure, a large hand landed on Nyx's shoulder, a serious expression on his face, Gladio gave him a nod, “good, ya know, Novie’s past boyfriend’s have been assholes, they don't want her, they want her name. Sorry for being protective, I don't want her to cry over guys anymore, she don't deserve that, ya know?”

Heaving one of Gladio's arms over his shoulder’s again, Nyx lead them to the building, “I couldn't agree with you more, kid. You're a good friend, I'm glad she has you in her life. Now, let's get you inside.”

It took longer to get to the door than Nyx had anticipated, but he was patient with his younger counterpart, bearing as much of his weight as he needed to in order to keep them moving.

He opened the front door, dragging the young Shield over to the couch, soft and quick footsteps approached from behind him as Gladio collapsed on to the sectional's surface, taking Nyx down with him in one fell swoop.

“Nyx, what the fuck?”

“Hi baby girl, me and Nyx are buds now, we went drinking, we good..”

Nyx gave Nova a lopsided grin and shrug as he attempted to remove his arm from underneath of the behemoth that was Gladiolus. Nova roared with laughter as she saw a shit eating grin spread across her best friend's face while her boyfriend gave an apologetic look as he was pinned to Gladio’s side.

“Ulric, our deal still holds, imma beat your time on that course and then you'll spar me.”

“Yeah, you got it, kid.” Nyx sighed in relief as his arm was finally freed. Grabbing the blanket that hung from the back of the couch, Nyx haphazardly threw it over the younger man.

“Sorry Princess, I didn't know where else to take him” Nova immediately dismissed him with a wave, attempting to reel in her laughter.

She had to wipe away the tears that had formed in her eyes from laughing so hard, “it's fine, I just wasn’t expecting that. So, you're friend’s now?” she gave Nyx a skeptical look.

He shrugged in return, “the kid’s not a bad guy, we had a decent talk, ironed some shit out and then drank it out.”

Nova glanced at the already passed out Shield on her couch and hummed in agreement, “clearly.”

Nyx held her hand in his own and lead Nova towards her bedroom, closing the door behind them. Nova immediately crawled back in to the bed where she had been laying before the drunken duo staggered in to her apartment.

“So, fill me in on how all this shit came about?” Nova asked as Nyx stripped down in front of her. Sliding in to the blankets, he cuddled in to her with a light laugh before explaining his afternoon and evening spent with Gladiolus.

“So, essentially, he found out you're coming with me on my missions, he tried to pick a fight and you somehow befriended him? That sound about right?” Nova asked, mindlessly tracing the fine black line that ran down his neck.

“That's about the gist of it" Nyx sighed peacefully, reveling in the comfort of Nova's bed with her resting in his arms.

“I was planning on having a chat with him about his attitude towards you, but I’m glad I won't have to anymore.”

Nyx hummed in agreement, “I'm going to try and take him under my wing a bit, the kid just needs some guidance.”

Nova gave a mocking scoff as she leaned up enough to face him, raising an eyebrow, “you're going to give him guidance?” she deadpanned.

Nyx threw her a lopsided grin and shrug, “worked for you, didn't it? I keep you humble" he said with a wink.

“Pretty sure it's the other way around, but okay Hero" she replied with a dramatic eye roll and slight laugh.

The following morning Nyx woke before Nova, quietly sneaking out of the bed so as not to wake his sleeping princess, cautiously closing the bedroom door behind him after he had dressed.

Nyx was met in the living room with snores so loud, he was genuinely shocked that the whole building was not shaking from them.

He swiftly and silently crossed the room on agile feet, heading to the kitchen. Quickly fastening a pot of coffee to brew, the room grew quiet, Nyx did not move a muscle, attempting not to further disturb the other occupants of the apartment.

A mop of brown hair appeared over the back of the couch, amber eyes foggy and confused as they tried to lock on to the older man. Nyx gave a soft chuckle as he hurt a deep groan come from Gladiolus, followed by a thud as the younger man disappeared from view again.

Nyx poured both of them a coffee, approaching from the direction of Gladio’s feet, Nyx gently gave the man a nudge in the calf with his foot. A hazy amber eye cracked open long enough to acknowledge him, moving his feet out of the way to allow Nyx a seat.

Placing a mug on the table in front of Gladio’s face, Nyx casually leaned back, sipping on his own dark bitter coffee.  
“Thanks, ‘ppreciate it” the Shield mumbled, Nyx gave a soft laugh and a hummed mhmm.

Eventually Gladio sat up, head in his hands as he attempted to rub the sleep, pressure, and hangover away from his eyes. He threw a sideways glance to the older man chuckling beside him, “you good Ulric?”

“Never better. You?”

Gladio had to place his head against his palms once more, “getting there.”

Nyx gave Gladiolus a solid slap on the back, earning a groan from the younger man, “c'mon, you need hangover food and I know just the spot.”

Wobbly legs supported the young Shield as he stood to follow Nyx, he quickly glanced at the closed bedroom door as they walked by it, “Novie?”

“Sleeping, I’ll bring her back something" Nyx said dismissively as he put his leather jacket on.

Gladiolus gave a nod in response, and with that the two men left the apartment, walking a few blocks before going in to a hole in the wall restaurant.

Nyx motioned for the younger man to grab a seat while he ordered their food at the counter, a request Gladio was more than happy to oblige to.

What felt like mere moments later to Gladio, who had been resting his head in his arms on the table, Nyx appeared with two large bowls and a couple of drinks.

“Here, spicy garula ramen and a ginger beer” Nyx answered the curious look on Gladio's face before he could even ask, “it’ll fix you right up.”

True to his word, Gladio felt like a new man by the time he reached the bottom of his bowl, he gave an appreciative nod to Nyx who returned the gesture.

“So, now what?”

Nyx raised an eyebrow at the younger man, not understanding his meaning and waiting for a further explanation.

Gladio sighed before continuing, “So, are we good now Ulric?”

With a small smile, Nyx gave him a prompt nod, “yeah kid, I'm good if you are.”

“Good, maybe you can give me some pointers on how to get through that obstacle course quicker and help me get stronger.”

A lopsided grin spread across the tan features of Nyx’s face, “I got you covered, who do you think Nova gets a workout with when she isn't training with you.”

Gladiolus groaned and rolled his eyes while Nyx let out a hearty laugh, “not what I meant, but also not wrong. I mean, she has those go muscles that you’re lacking, that's why she kicks your ass all the time. Stick with me and you'll be alright, Gladio.”


	23. The Sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters within two days?!  
> That definitely hasn't happened in a while!  
> I hustled to one as quickly as possible before the end of the long weekend without losing too much of the integrity of the storytelling.  
> I'm currently in the midst of the next one and it's on the fast track to becoming the longest chapter yet.  
> I hope this can satisfy everyone before we delve in to the beginning of the Nyx&Nova journey around Lucis🖤

_“He looked at me like I was the stars when all I'd ever felt like was the dark nothingness between them."_  
_-Ranata Suzuki_

 

Nova rolled over, in search of the lean warm body she was beginning to grow accustomed to sharing her bed with. All she found was the empty cold sheets, when she reached the edge without finding him she groaned in to her pillow.

_Must have gotten called in._

Lazily stretching out her arm to grab her phone from the nightstand, she begrudgingly cracked an eye open just wide enough to see the time and a message from the missing man in question.

Hero: In case my sleeping beauty wakes up wondering where her charmingly handsome boyfriend is, I'm with Amicitia and I’ll be back soon with food.

_He's too sweet, I guess him and Gladio really are getting along then._

Nova half-smiled at her phone while giving a soft snort and laugh as she typed a quick message back.

Me: What would I do without my Hero.

She sluggishly slinked out of her bed, grabbing her robe from the back of her bedroom door to pull around her body as she head into the kitchen.

While she mindlessly brewed a pot of strong coffee to wake her up and push the sleep from her head, the sharp sound of phone beginning to ring jolted her in to immediately answering it, assuming it had to be Nyx. 

“Hey babe, are you on you’re way back?” she mumbled in the phone. 

“Babe? I see my intel has proven correct then" came the stern and curious voice on the other end.

_Ramuh, strike me down right here and now please._

Nova’s heart immediately dropped and yet had become stuck in her throat at the same time. She let out a painfully awkward laugh as she internally cursed herself for not checking her caller ID before answering.

She cleared her throat in an attempt to regain some of the composure she had lost in the brief moment of panic. The lack of caffeine currently not flowing in her system was certainly not helping her cause, making her mind foggy and unfocused.

“And what intel would that be?” she replied as evenly and firm as she could, as a guise to portray her usually calm and collected nature.

“That my dear daughter is seeing someone and had yet to inform me" Regis softly chuckled in to the other end of the phone.

The calm demeanor Regis seemed to convey from his end, gave Nova a slight sigh of relief. She had been overly concerned but relationships and Nova dating had always proven to be an awkward father-daughter topic in the past, one that she actively would attempt to avoid. 

“Can't keep anything from you, can I?” Nova lightly laughed along with her father, finally sipping on some of the freshly brewed coffee to clear the fog surrounding her mind.

“I'm afraid not. I would very much like to sit down and talk to him and yourself before your upcoming departure in the next day or so. Would, say, dinner tonight at around 6pm work for the two of you?” her father casually asked.

“You got it” Nova replied quickly.

_Seems innocent enough._

“Excellent, I must say that I am very much looking forward to speaking with Nyx Ulric concerning how he took my eldest child and only daughter on a vacation to Galahd right under my nose. Anyways, I’ll see you at 6 my dear, do not be late” Regis replied ominously before he hung up on her.

_Son of a bitch._

Nova slightly grimaced at her father's statement, which, as luck would have it, happened to be the very same moment Nyx easily strolled in to her apartment, a lopsided grin on his face and take out bag in his hand.

He gave her a curiously look as he shrugged off his leather jacket before he continued his approach, seeing the dubious expression she wore as she stared at the now black screen of her phone.

“What's wrong?” Nyx immediately asked, searching her eyes for any clues as he draped his jacket on back of the countertop stool.

“So, that was my dad I was just talking to, we have dinner plans this evening now!” Nova attempted to say as enthusiastically as she could muster, but Nyx knew her well enough to see through the fake façade.

“We?” he gave her a questioning look, to which she only smiled and nodded in response, “is it about getting the royal arms and when we'll be sent out?”

“Um, partially yes, and partially because he found out about us being together and going to Galahd without informing him" Nova said, attempting not to cringe in knowing how uncomfortable Nyx was about to feel from the news.

_Ah, there it is._

Nova could see the gravity of what that meant as his expression changed from confused to dread rapidly, running a hand through his hair as he sunk in to the stool along the countertop he had just slung his jacket.

She walked around to him, hugging him from behind and resting her head on his back, “it won’t be too bad, besides, you already know my dad so there won't be any awkward introductions at least."

“I know him in a professional ‘he's my boss’ setting, not a ‘I'm banging your daughter and whisked her away to an Imperial territory for a vacation because I love her’ type setting” Nyx groaned in to the palms of his hands as his head rested in them.

_Well, when you put it that way.._

“Babe, it’ll be fine, I promise, I mean, it had to happen eventually, right?” Nova gently laughed in his shoulder blades, squeezing him tighter.

“Yeah, but I thought it would on our own time, like over the holidays coming up where he would might be more merciful and forgiving” Nyx practically pleaded to Nova as she could only squeeze him tighter.

“This is it, this is how I'm going to die. I'm at the mercy of the King whose daughter I've done heinous things to and now he probably knows. Nov’s, I loved you and I regret nothing" he mumbled in to the hands he still had placed over his face.

“Wow, that sounded super convincing” Nova sarcastically said, slipping her fingers around his own to gently pull his hand from his face. A grey miserable eye looked back at her as it was freed from his own clutches, forcing her to give him a soft, tender smile.

_He's going to need some help with this situation._

She pressed the palm of his hand to her lips, giving it a quick kiss. With his hand in one of her own and the takeout bag Nyx had brought in the other, she slowly pulled his hand with her, reluctantly he stood as she lead him away from the stool and kitchen, to the apartment across the hall.

Nyx gave her a confused look but did not question her intentions. As per his usual morning routine, Ignis sat at the dining table, perusing through the daily paper.

Nova motioned for Nyx to sit at the table while she placed her food before she began rummaging through Noct's kitchen, searching for utensils and a mug of coffee.

Emerald green and steel blue eyes watched her movements but both men remained in silence, merely giving each other a welcoming nod but that was the extent of their interaction while they awaited an explanation.

“So Iggy, Nyx needs your help" Nova said as she sat down with the men, opening her take box of noodles with a thankfully look to Nyx.

“And how what that be?” Ignis asked, carefully folding away his newspaper.

“Well, dad found out about our relationship and now he wants us to go over for dinner tonight" Nova explained between bites, Nyx gave Ignis an uncomfortable smile and shrug.

“Seems reasonable enough" Ignis replied, his green eyes narrowing at Nova, still attempting to figure out exactly how he was suppose fit in to this equation.

“Agreed. Now, that being said, I know for a fact that Nyx does not own a proper outfit for such an occasion, so I was hoping you would help him pick up some appropriate clothes” Nova said, giving a slight apologetic look to Nyx.

_Sorry babe, it needs to happen._

Nyx threw her a slight glare but could not disagree her point. Ignis on the other hand looked Nyx over, an eager almost sinister  smile began to spread across his features.

“It would be my pleasure to assist. Now, did we have a color or material preference? Any certain style you wish I stick to?” Ignis continued his survey of Nyx, the wheels turning behind his glasses and green eyes as he looked at the older man, all of the limitless possibilities he could pull off with Nyx's physique whirling in his head. 

_Gods love you Iggy, I knew you were just the man for the job._

Nyx shot Nova a helpless pleading look, to which she could only smile and shrug back to, “I'll leave color and material up to the both of you, all I ask is that he cuts a clean look, isn't overly formal but still looks just as handsome as ever” she added with a wink to Nyx.

Ignis immediately leaped to his feet, energetic and ready to begin his newest project, “price range?” he asked the older man as he unwillingly stood with him.

Nyx sighed, looking to the ceiling as he mentally began to calculated his expenses, “No more than-"

“Take my card, get him whatever he wants. Actually, get him two of everything, he needs formal wear to be my date to all the holiday events coming up" Nova interrupted Nyx, waving off the look of shock he instantly gave her.

“That’s not necessary Princess.”

“It definitely is, you need more in your wardrobe than jeans and your Kingsglaive uniform anyways” Nova said with a slight smile.

Looking to the younger man she continued, “Iggy, my card is in my wallet, in my purse on the table by the door, first slot on the top left when you open it.”

Ignis gave a prompt nod before bounding out the door, a look of pure excitement written on his face. While Nyx reluctantly followed, giving Nova a quick kiss to the top of her head, an unenthusiastic expression set on his ruggedly handsome face.

Nova was picking at her meal and sipping her coffee when Noctis crawled from the dark depths of his abyss of a room, “what are you doing here? Where's Iggy?” he asked in a yawn, wiping sleep away from his eyes as he staggered to the table.

“I got him to take Nyx clothes shopping, dad is making us go over for dinner tonight.”

“Oh, that sucks for him” Noctis replied, stealing the last few bites of Nova's food for himself.

She gave a casual shrug, “I really don't think it will be that bad, dad isn't as intimidating as he makes it seem.”

Noctis snorted at her statement and rolled his eyes, “yeah, to you maybe. You are his dear princess after all, and I mean that in more ways than one.”

Nova gave her brother a dismissive glare and wave, “that's not true at all and you know it, he's way easier on you than me.”

Noctis gave her a half smile along with a slight nod, “yeah, you're right, either way though, he won't be easy on Nyx" he added a with a shrug.

_He’s probably not wrong._

She hummed her agreement, he had a valid point with that one. None of Nova's previous relationships or flings had ever made it far enough to meeting her father, or for that matter her brother either.

Gladiolus was usually the wall they had to get around and so far none had managed that, even Nyx had only just tiptoed by him until last night apparently.

Nova pushed the tiny bit of anxiety creeping in to her chest out of her mind as she stood from her chair. She left Noctis to his own devices while she returned to her apartment, running a hot shower to wash away her building apprehension.

Hours had passed as the afternoon creeped away, she laid on her couch mindlessly flipping through the channels when Nyx arrived as the afternoon grew closer to evening, a multitude of shopping bags in his hands.

_Oh, Iggy had a field day._

Nova gave him an apologetic smile as she saw his unimpressed expression, getting up to follow him in to her bedroom.

“I now have enough formal and semi-formal clothes to last me through every holiday, celebration and event for the next decade" he huffed, dropping the bags on her bedroom floor, passing Nova her debit card, before carelessly flopping on to her bed.

Nova laughed at the man who dramatically groaned in to her blankets, “there's room in the closet for you now, so you can keep some of your new clothes here if you want.”

Nyx hummed in appreciation, “I will, thanks Princess” he mumbled.

She continued her laugh as she curled in to his side, which he gladly pulled her closer to his chest, “we need to get ready soon, think you can pull together an outfit from all that without help?” she gently teased.

Nyx scoffed in reply, pushing himself up on one elbow to look at her, “Princess, if it's one thing I know how to do, it's how to make all of this look good" he smugly smirked as he motioned to his body, giving her a wink in the process. Nova gave him a dramatic eye roll before pulling him in for a kiss.

Nyx showered while she dressed, with the majority of her clothes being black in accordance to the rules in place of the Lucian Royal Family colors, she simply grabbed a pair of pressed pants off of a hanger, put on a form fitting charcoal long sleeved shirt and matching heels, threw on a black blazer and called it a day.

_Good enough._

By the time she stepped out of the closet, Nyx was in her bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Nova could not help but seductively stare at him as she watched the water droplets meander down his chiseled body, her mind and body wanted to waltz right over to him and lick them right off his washboard abs.

_Gods help me from not jumping his bones right here and now._

Nyx gave her a lopsided grin as he noticed her appreciation of his body, a hearty laugh leaving him, “like what you see Princess?”

She shot him a sly grin and wink, “you know I do. If you make it through tonight without being executed, perhaps I'll even appreciate it a bit more closely.”

He sauntered closer to her, slightly pulling the towel just a bit lower to accentuate the V of his hips, “guess I'll have to be on my best behavior then" his husky voice softly said.

“Just think of it as an extra incentive my love" she replied, her lips gently brushing across his before she teasingly walked towards the bathroom, giving Nyx a small wink over her shoulder as she disappeared from his view.

As Nova returned to the bedroom, having done her makeup and brushed her pin straight black hair in to a more manageable mess she saw Nyx adding the final touches as he straightened out his outfit. It was the first time she had seen him in clothes that were not his Kingsglaive uniform, casual jeans and a t-shirt attire or just completely naked.

_Shiva have mercy._

He was dressed head to toe in black, leather boots peeked out under his slim fit dress pants, around his waist was a matching leather belt with a gold clasp, and a form fitting dress shirt tucked in, he purposely left the top two buttons undone. He was in the process of rolling up his sleeves to his forearms as he noticed Nova's approach, throwing her a lopsided grin.

Spreading his arms out to either side to display his outfit and himself, he gave her a wink to go with his smile, “what did I say Princess, I know how to look good.”

Nova placed a hand on his chest and the other on his scruffy cheek, “you're a man of you’re word Nyx, and I must say, you clean up really well" She said, not even attempting to be discreet in checking him out.

He hummed as her thumb rubbed soft small circles along the tattoo under his eye, “you got that right Princess.”

With a smile, Nova turned away from him, “do my braids?”

Nyx hesitantly reached for her hair, “you sure that's a good idea my star? Your father might not approve of you adopting my Galahdian culture" he said tentatively.

“I’m sure, I told your mom that I would continue to wear them with pride and I meant it. Now, either braid my hair or tell me how to do it myself because I have every intention of wearing them to dinner" she stubbornly told the man, her voice unwavering in her conviction.

Nyx gave a sigh of relief that she was determined to honor his culture's customs as his fingers expertly weaved the hair together, tying it back in to her Galahdian braided crown.

Grabbing their matching black peacoat's, they left the apartment and headed for the parking garage. Nova threw Nyx the keys to her bike with a wink.

An excited sparkle shone behind his grey eyes, “you sure?”

“Yup, it'll probably be the last time this season to take it around the Crown City, so make it count" Nova said casually, summoning their helmets to her hands.

With a wicked smile and a wink, Nyx hauled the helmet over his head as he started the ignition. Reviving the motor slightly a few times, “hold on tight Princess, it's pay back time" he said before shutting the visor down over his face.

_Oh, I love when he takes charge._

Nyx did not hold back on giving the bike all she could handle, with expert like precision he weaved them through the congested highways. Nova kept a semi-firm grip on the man, but for the most part she just watched the flashing streetlights and billboards of Insomnia pass them by, wholeheartedly trusting Nyx with her life as he sped down the freeway.

Nyx parked her bike in its unofficial parking spot by the front steps. As soon as he removed his helmet, he gave a curt nod to his fellow curious glaives stationed nearby. Their confusion only grew as they were not use to seeing Nyx in something that was not covered in blood or sweat, they also had not expected to watch as their Hero held Nova's hand in his own as they walked in to the Citadel together.

The inquisitive glances continued from glaives, guard and Citadel workers as they proceeded to walk through the mostly empty ornate marble halls. Nova paid them no mind, but could see the trepidation in Nyx beginning to show in his slowed down movements, his free hand slightly fidgeting with a button on his jacket sleeve.

_Everyone is starring again, this is getting to him, isn't it?_

Nova steered them slightly off course, pulling Nyx in behind her to make a quick pit stop in to her old room. She threw the lock behind them to give them a moment of privacy before they went to her father's private dining quarters.

Nova held each of his hands in her own, placing either of them on to her hips as she reached up to rest her palms on his firm chest. She could see a flash of worry behind his eyes as he looked to her, her crystal blue eyes searched his grey ones as she gave him an affectionate smile.

“If you don't want this Nyx, I understand. You don't have to go if it'll make you uncomfortable” she quietly said, her thumb rubbing small tentative circles over his heart.

Nyx immediately squeezed her hips and slightly shook his head, a small laugh escaping his chest, “no my star, it’s not that. I’m just a bit nervous for the disappointment your father will obviously with you dating me, and seeing the looks in everyone's eyes that I'm not good enough for you isn't helping.”

“You're more than good enough Nyx Ulric. You're a better man than most of the people in this city. My father won't be disappointed, I promise, just be yourself, the man I fell love with, and you'll be fine."

Nyx rested his forehead against her own, closing his eyes he let out a deep sigh. Nova reached one hand up to place on his scruffy face while she gave him a tender kiss, one which he easily leaned in to, pulling her closer to him by her hips.

When they separated, a lopsided smile was plastered across his face, reaching up to light a warm fire behind his eyes. Adjusting the collar of his buttoned up dress shirt Nova gave him a tender smile, “ready?”

He responded with a nod before they were confidently walking the halls together again, Nova noticed his steps came easier, a renewed bounce behind them as his arm slinked around her waist.

_There's the confident Nyx I love._

They arrived perfectly on time, Nova gave a single knock before entering, grasping for Nyx's hand to give it a reassuring squeeze before he followed suit.

Regis sat at the head of the table, rising to stand as Nova and Nyx drew closer, “you look as lovely as ever my dear daughter" the King said with a smile as he brought her in for hug.

“Thanks Dad" she said, returning her father's embrace. As they part, she reached for Nyx, placing a hand on his back to bring him closer, “Father, you know my boyfriend, Nyx Ulric.”

The kings green eyes narrowed as he looked to the younger man, his soft expression changing in to a stern one. “Indeed, ” Regis replied, scrutinizing Nyx, “the Hero of the a Kingsglaive who deemed it appropriate to take my daughter to Galahd.”

_Here we go._

“Dad-" Nova groaned, rolling her eyes, only to be silenced with a pointed look from her father.

She solemnly obeyed the unspoken order, although a clear look of apprehension crossed her fair features as she took a step back, giving the two men space.

Nyx straightened his shoulders and stood to his full height, easily falling in to his glaive stance as he returned the king's impervious gaze, “that's correct your Highness. I only wished to make your daughter happy and give her a memorable birthday.”

Regis narrowed his eyes yet again, judging the words Nyx had spoken, “you will not deny or defend your actions?”

Nyx remained unflinching, a determined expression set on his face. “No your Highness. To deny it would only be an insult to you, and I will not defend my actions because I do not regret them. I set out to make Nova happy and I did just that, I did it because I am in love with her and would give her the very stars from the sky if it were within my abilities."

Regis stood in silence, contemplating the authenticity of the man's words. Nyx handled the critical dissection as best he could with an unwavering posture and vacant expression, while Nova stood with her weight on one leg and arms crossed impatiently.

Clasping the younger man's shoulder, Regis gave a soft smile and nod to Nyx, “you're a good man Nyx Ulric, I appreciate the honesty and bluntness, it is a fine quality to possess. Although, I believe Drautos does not care for those traits in you quite the same way as myself" he said with a hearty laugh.

Nova finally smiled and brought an arm around Nyx’s waist while her other hand rested on his chest as he returned the embrace with one arm, allowing her to Nestle in to his side.

The younger man joined in on the laugh, “you're not wrong your Highness, it usually lands me in hot water with the Captain more often than not.”

“Please, just call me Regis during personal and informal moments like these. Shall we?” the king asked, motioning to the available seats in front of them with a gentle smile.

Regis sat at the head of the table with Nova and Nyx on either side of him. Nyx gave Nova a quick wink across the table as they got situated.

“Now, how long has this romance been happening without my knowledge" Regis said with a wink, leaning back in his chair while servants entered the room, pouring each of them wine.

“Honestly, not long. We've been friends since I was assigned to training Nov's on warping a few years ago, but it’s only been in the past few months it started to become more than just a friendship. I've always held your daughter in the highest regard with her determination, passion and kind heart. It was hard not to fall for such an incredible woman" Nyx replied with a genuine smile that reached his eyes, swirling his wine around in it glass.

“That makes my heart happy to hear you speak so fondly of her, I could not agree with you more with those qualities” Regis replied, giving Nyx a grateful look.

Regis then turned his attention over to his daughter for confirmation and elaboration, “it's true, I've had a crush on him for years though. He treated me like a real person, not just what my title said I was” she said with a sly smile and wink to the man in question across the table who gave a lopsided grin in response.

Regis laughed at his daughter with a slight shake of his head, “a love founded in the base of friendship is the strongest connection, I speak from personal experience since that's what I shared with your mother" he said warmly with a soft smile.

The trio idly chatted over dinner, Nova telling her father of their trip to Galahd and the retrieval of a royal arm, Regis and Nyx shared war stories of victories and losses they each had experienced in the field and the three of them discussed the coming departure Nova and Nyx were facing.

“Once you both have your affairs for duty in order, the two of you will travel to Leide. Nyx, you are required to check in with Drautos before your departure and again upon your return” Regis said to the younger man, they all easily reclined in their chairs, stomachs stuffed from a three course meal.

“Understood, and once I speak to the Captain we're good to leave whenever we're ready?” Nyx asked Regis eagerly, a twinkle of excitement was evident in his grey eyes.

“Precisely” the king nodded in agreement before continuing his explanation of their departure.

“South of Hammerhead, you will find the Balouve Mines where a royal arm rests deep within the caverns, it should prove to be an easy enough excursion for the two of you.”

“Those are the mines that were closed down due to daemon infestations weren't they?” Nova asked her father with a raised eyebrow while she casually leaned on the arm of her chair, placing her chin on to the palm of her hand.

Regis gave her a small smile for her knowledge of Lucis, “the very same. And I'm sure their populations have only grown, so do make sure you either stock up on supplies before you go or in Hammerhead before trespassing through the haunted tunnels.”

_Great, I love daemons.._

“Upon your return, we’ll discuss more lengthy trips throughout Lucis."

Nyx nodded contemplating the information they had been given so far, “makes sense to retrieve multiple in one swoop instead of constantly coming and go from Insomnia."

“I couldn't agree more” the king said with a faint smile, approving of Nyx’s thought process.

“That's fair, do we have a time frame that we have to retrieve it by?” Nova asked her father.

“No, take all the time you need, I would rather you do not become reckless just to follow an arbitrary schedule” Regis said with a dismissive wave at the thought.

Nova gave him an appreciative nod, knowing all too well that rushing things was often how mistakes were made.

“But do check in on occasion so there's no cause for concern, you will both report directly to Cor who will keep myself and Drautos informed on your whereabouts and your general expected time of return” Nova and Nyx nodded in understanding to Regis.

“Please don't tell me we have to take that beat up truck?” Nova pleaded, the thoughts of going through the desert again with no air conditioning was not appealing, regardless of how much she enjoyed the company of Nyx.

Her father laughed but shook his head, “feel free to take whatever vehicle in the royal fleet your heart desires, but do try to make a practical choice" he said directly to Nova with a knowing look to his wild daughter.

Nova and Nyx shared an avid look at the potential that just opened up for them.

_Although, I did have a plan in mind_  Nova hummed to herself in contemplation.

“I trust the sleeping arrangements will remain appropriate?” Regis said, deliberately glancing to Nyx.

“Dad, seriously?” Nova groaned, raising a hand to her face in embarrassment.

Regis chuckled before looking back to Nyx, “and I trust you'll be safe with my daughter?”

“Dad, seriously!”

“My dear, I meant in the field, but now I'm thinking there's another discussion we may need to have" Regis uncomfortably replied to a sheepish Nova.

“I will absolutely protect your daughter and keep her safe" Nyx was quick to intervene with a genuine smile.

“I expect nothing else from the Kingsglaive’s best. Nyx, you are a fine man, I'm putting my full faith in your abilities" Regis said with a slight smile and nod, “one last thing, about your braids Nova. I know they are significant in Galahdian culture, I assume they pertain to the relationship between you two?”

Nyx nodded to confirm the King's assessment, “I see" he hummed deliberately, eyeing the woven locks in his daughter's hair.

“I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you both, but there could be certain repercussions for a Royal to display the customs of what the Crown City citizens call Immigrants. I trust you are prepared to face those?” Regis asked firmly, his regal poise and tone dripping through his tone.

“I am” Nova replied, her voice unwavering and her face stoic.

“Me too” Nyx also said proudly, his tone undaunted.

Regis gave them each a heartfelt smile, “good, I think they are a beautiful declaration of your commitment to one another, but you know how politics go, others will not be so understanding unfortunately.”

Nova and Nyx both nodded their agreement, “we experienced quite a few stares the handful of times we were in public with our relationship on display, but if people don't like us together, then I’m sorry Dad, but I really don't care what they think" Nova said with a sigh, her tone rigid as she gave a minor shrug at the truth of her words.

Regis glanced to Nyx for any additional comments, the Hero gave a one shoulder shrug at first before continuing, “I experience discrimination every day, it’s sad to say, but I'm use to the resentment at this point. I'm not going to let that stop my love for Nov's, even if it hurts and is hard to see that they don't think I'm good enough for her.”

Nodding at their statements, Regis leaned on his elbows on the chairs arms, “neither of you should let the thoughts and opinions of others bother you, at the end of the day you only need to heed what your own heart and mind says.”

Nyx looked to the king with even more admiration and respect than he already had, Regis gave him a knowingly smile in return before specifically facing his daughter.

“Nova, all I have ever wanted for you my dear daughter is a life you wish to live. I cannot give you the freedom I had hoped I could, the Gods saw to that, but I want you to have the independence to love without consequence. You both have my blessing, and may your travels only bring you closer together” Regis raised his wine glass to them with Nyx and Nova quickly following suit, all of them with genuine smiles.

Nova had to briefly brush away the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes. Glancing across the table to Nyx, he threw her a quick wink and lopsided grin.

“Thanks Dad," Nova said with a genuine happy smile to her father “I really appreciate it, we appreciate it" she added with a quick glance to the man who was beaming in joy across the table from her.


	24. The Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was practically the bane of my existence to write because I accidentally deleted it and then had to re-write it all from memory, but I ended up adding an additional 9 pages of content because of my fuck up, soo🙃🤷

_“Where ever she was,_  
_She always looked like she belonged,_  
_On a boat, by a campfire, or on a mountainside._  
_That's why I always kept her in my arms,_  
_Because when I looked down,_  
_She looked like she belonged.”_  
_-Atticus_

 

The morning after having dinner with the king, Nyx was early to rise with an instant smile set across his tan features, one he was confident he could not remove even if he had wanted to.

The second his eyes opened, his only thoughts were those of reporting in to Drautos spinning through his mind. The sooner he spoke with the Captain, the sooner he could leave the Crown City behind and begin his adventure around Lucis with Nova.

_Get me and Nov's away from this damn city for a while._

Nova begrudgingly awoke as he was attempting to sneak out of the piles of blankets weighing him down on the shared bed, her fingers just slightly brushing against his scarred back as he moved away from her and out of the bed completely.

“Sorry Princess, I need to get this meeting with the Captain over with so we can hit the road" Nyx said with pure joy in his voice as well as written clearly across his face. For the first time in their relationship, he was eagerly putting his clothes on while he looked at Nova's longing eyes towards him.

_This is a change of pace that I'm not totally sure I'm okay with._

Nova groaned under the blankets before she heaved them off of herself, Nyx gave her a quizzical look as she also staggered out of bed behind him. Yawning as her feet hit the hardwood floor, she rose to her tip toes and stretched her arms above her head, the distinct sounds of idle bones cracking ringing throughout the large room.

She gave him a slight shrug and small smile as he continued his questioning look at her with crossed arms, although he was not about to complain about this surprising development as he watched her nude flexible figure stretch out, “there's things I need to do before we go too” Nova said nonchalantly as she swayed her curvy hips while she stepped passed him, grabbing her robe off of the bedroom door to wrap snuggly around her body.

Nyx followed on light agile feet as Nova's long legs gracefully swept her in to the kitchen, immediately getting a pot ready to brew them both their morning coffee, he grabbed a travel mug from her cupboards so that he could head straight to the Citadel.

_Ideally, we’ll be on the road by noon._

“So what things do you need to do before we go?” Nyx asked her curiously with his arms crossed again as he leaned against the countertop, watching the steady steam of dark liquid trickle in to the pot below.

“I need to secure us some transportation, it would be too uncomfortable for both of us to ride my bike. I’m thinking something fast” Nova replied to him with a wink.

“Of course you are" Nyx replied with a laugh.

A wicked grin beginning to curl around her soft full lips was the only response he received.

_My princess is a genuine speed daemon._

Nyx gave her a smirk and nodded, “I'll pick up some supplies while I'm at the training compound, I doubt Drautos will care since it’s for you.”

Filling up the travel mug with steaming hot coffee, he grabbed Nova by the waist as well as a fist full of her messy hair to haul her in for a passionate kiss before he was bounding out the door and making his way towards the Citadel.

The streets of Insomnia were usually packed on a good day, let alone during the prime morning rush hour when hundreds of other people were en route to the Citadel for their work day. Nyx ended up getting jumbled in to the mix, attempting to pass and get ahead of the leisurely pace set of those in front of him.

_Gods, I should of taken Nov's bike._

Eventually, Nyx had managed to squeeze, push, and meander his way through the crowds and reach his destination. He did not bother with the front door, opting to avoid the way everyone else was heading like the plague, instead he went directly for the cargo bay.

Nyx gave a brief nod to the glaives stationed on duty by the loading zone, he entered the dingy empty lower level tunnels and made a direct beeline for the Kingsglaive training compound. A few twists, turns, and stairwells later had Nyx knocking on the office door of Drautos, awaiting permission to enter.

Nyx immediately proceeded in when he heard the word through the closed door, Drautos gave him a perplexed look before sighing and shaking his head.

“Ulric, so you are capable of being punctual, I had no idea" the Captain deadpanned while leaning back in his chair behind his desk, motioning for Nyx to sit opposite him.

Nyx just gave Drautos a halfhearted smile and shrug as he sat, “I was told to report in to you before departing, sir.”

The older man rolled his eyes at Nyx’s formalities, “look, just don't get killed out there by doing your usual shit, as much as you’re a constant damn pain my ass, the Kingsglaive needs their Hero at the helm. You're too big of an asset to lose.”

_It must have killed him to say that._

Nyx gave him an appreciative nod as Drautos slid an earpiece across the table to him, “incase of an emergency you radio in to headquarters immediately with your coordinates and we’ll deploy, don't abuse that privilege, got it?”

“Would dream of it, sir" Nyx replied as he pocketed the device.

Drautos gave him a nod as he easily sat back in his chair, “one last thing Ulric, I can't protect you from the king if you get his daughter killed.”

_That sure as hell won't be happening while I'm there._

Nyx gave him a small smirk, “it won't be an issue sir. Can I grab some supplies while I'm here for the mission?”

The Captain gave him a dismissive nod and wave as Nyx rose, leaving the man to peruse his paperwork of potential new recruits looking to enlist.

Nyx stepped out of the office and went straight for the inventory bay. Grabbing an available duffle bag, he stuffed it full of as many portions, elixirs and phoenix downs as he could comfortably fit without potentially breaking any of them.

_I really fucking hope we won't need all these, but I'd rather not tempt fate where Nov's is concerned._

After looting what he could from the glaive, Nyx made his way to the upper floors of the Citadel where the ground level was located with the main doorway, determined to return to Nova's apartment as soon as he could so that they could leave.

Walking through the busy glistening marble halls of the main floor, Nyx came to an abrupt halt as he heard his name being called out from behind him. A large hand clasped his shoulder, a smug smirk on the young man's face.

“Got my time down to two- thirty, I'm coming for you Ulric” Gladiolus said with a chuckle.

Nyx quirked an impressed eyebrow at the young Shield, an almost proud smirk beginning to sneak across his features, “not bad kid, you might actually manage to get it down to two minutes by the time I get back.”

It was with those words Gladio noticed the bag slung over Nyx's shoulder, crossing his arms he put his weight on his back leg as he gave the older man a genuine smile.

“I'll hold you to that, don't make me come out there to save your ass just so I can kick it again myself” the young Shield said with a cocky smirk.

The two men shared an honest laugh before Nyx patted Gladio’s tree trunk of an arm, “you'll have to get in line behind Nov's, kid.”

Gladio gave him an approving nod, “do you need any more supplies for the trip? I can snag some stuff from the Crownsguard and I got a bunch of camping gear back at home.”

“If it's not too much trouble, that would be a huge help. I'm pretty sure Nov's doesn't have that kind of outdoorsy stuff.”

“Yeah she does, it's called her stealing my shit to use for herself" Gladio said with a hearty laugh.

With a nod towards the Crownsguard training area, Gladio led Nyx towards their supply room. The size and selection of it was far superior compared to that of the glaives, rows upon rows of shelves were stocked with every curative imaginable as well as a non-perishable food section.

Nyx wanted to roll his eyes at the blatantly obvious differences in funding between the two military groups but he somehow managed to maintain his composure.

Gladiolus filled to the brim another two vacant duffle bags for Nyx, it had hardly even put a noticeable dent in the guards inventory selection. The large man slung a bag on either of his shoulder and lead Nyx through the Citadel, the duo earning almost as many curious looks from workers and visitors as Nyx did when he was with Nova.

_Yeah, hi, Galahdian man walking through with a Crown Citizen, everyone stare._

Arriving to the underground parking lot, Gladio set the two bags he had been carrying into the bed of his large pickup truck, Nyx following suit before jumping in the passenger seat.

“Nice ride, kid" Nyx said as he glanced around the interior of the truck and the spacious leg room it afforded him.

Gladiolus gave an appreciative nod, “it does the trick. I got it last year when I was sworn in to the guard, was hoping it'd be good for taking out camping and whatever but I haven't had the chance yet.”

“Maybe we can plan something when we get back, I'm sure Nov's would like that" Nyx casually said as the younger man drove them out of the Citadel district.

“You like camping Ulric?” Gladio asked with a raised eyebrow and curious tone, pulling the large vehicle through the traffic and flooring the gas pedal.

Nyx scoffed in reply before facing him, “what kind of Galahdian would I be if I didn't enjoy nature?”

Gladio gave a small snort and conceded the statement, “you got me there.”

Nyx smirked at the man as he pulled in to a cobblestone driveway, “do you actually drive to the Citadel when you live this close?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Nahh, I usually walk or run. I only did today cause I was asked to swing in there for a quick minute” Gladio said, putting the truck in park and shutting off the ignition.

With the push of an overhead button, the garage door began to slowly open in front of them, both men hopped out of the large vehicle with Gladio motioning for Nyx to step in.

“Take whatever you need or want.”

Nyx looked at the wall that was lined from floor to ceiling purely with outdoor gear, from camping supplies to sports equipment and everything in between. Nyx grabbed a couple of sleeping bags and a small propane stove before indicating to the younger man he was set.

When Gladio quirked an eyebrow at him from his puny selection of camping supplies, Nyx let out a soft chuckle and gave a one shoulder shrug.

“Sorry kid, I'm more about roughing it in the wild than a glamping type guy, and Nov's won't care as long as she’s snuggled against me" Nyx said with his usual lopsided grin and a wink, causing Gladio to snort in return and roll his eyes.

Gladiolus dropped Nyx off in front of Nova's apartment with the three bags of curatives and camping gear. As Nyx was ready to part ways with the younger man, Gladio yelled out to him through his open passenger side window.

_Here comes the protective speech._

“Ulric, be careful out there.”

Nyx nodded and gave him a dubious look, “not going to tell me to protect Nov's or I have you to deal with?” he said with a slightly mocking smirk.

“Nahh, a friend reminded me recently that Novie doesn't need protecting, she just needs support” Gladio said with a wave before he pulled the truck back in to traffic.

 _Would you look at that_ Nyx chuckled to himself.

He was met in the lobby of the apartment building by Nova, an excited grin stretched from ear-to-ear as he approached her. Nyx could not help but smile himself as he saw the excited light bouncing in her eyes as he drew near.

_The twinkle of my star._

She relieved Nyx of some of the supplies he was awkwardly carrying in his arms, “hey Princess, how did you know I was on the way?”

“Gladio, I asked him to pick you up and delay you a bit" she said slyly as she nodded for him to follow her towards the elevator.

_Ahh, that explains why he took his truck._

“Wait, why delay me?” Nyx asked, genuinely confused and almost a bit hurt as they stepped on to the lift, which only grew when Nova hit the button to go in the opposite direction he was anticipating.

“Because I wanted to surprise you with what I picked out for transportation but I had to wait until it arrived" Nova replied eagerly, alleviating some of Nyx's apprehension.

Nova enthusiastically brought him over to her spot in the parking garage, Nyx's first reaction was confusion which was instantly replaced with pure excitement.

Sitting beside her matte black bike was a larger shiny black motorcycle, Nyx gave her a knowing look, “now I understand your comment about it being uncomfortable for us to ride the same bike.”

Nova gave him a slight shrug but did not deny it. Nyx sat down the bags of supplies to get a closer look at the bike, it was similar to Nova's, perhaps a newer model but not nearly as customized.

“The Royal Fleet has all the toys, doesn't it?” he sat with a laugh, sitting on the bike he could feel how perfectly it fit him, a jolt of eagerness coursing through him at the thought of tearing down the highway on the motorcycle with Nova beside him.

_She did good, if didn't know better I’d say she hand selected this one just for me._

“It definitely does, but this isn't one of them" she said with a laugh, when Nyx threw her a questioning stare, Nova continued, “this one is all yours babe. Bought it for you online last night after we left dinner with my Dad and called them this morning to get it delivered.”

_Wait, what? No.. she didn't.._

Nyx looked at her stunned, he immediately jumped off the bike, almost afraid to touch it, and leapt over to Nova, “Nov’s, you didn't need to do that, you shouldn't have done that, I can't accept this" he said with a huff as his hand swung out to motion towards the bike.

She laughed at him in return and snaked her arms around his waist, “you can and you will" she said lightly in his ear as she pulled the man in to an embrace.

He wrapped his arms around her and brought Nova closer to him, “you really shouldn't have though my star, we haven't been together long enough for such an extravagant gift” he whispered back.

Nova pulled away enough to look at him, giving a shrug and laugh, “Nyx, we've been close friends for years though, it's not like you're some random guy I just started dating. Just think of it as an early Christmas present. Besides, what's the point of having enough money in my account to run the kingdom for an entire decade if I don't splurge and indulge myself and my boyfriend every once in a while.”

“I guess that's fair, but now you've set the bar insanely high for Christmas presents” Nyx said with a laugh, “you’re too good to me my star” he picked her up in his arms to spin her around, placing rough kisses and nibbles on her neck as she laughed in joy.

Within the hour, Nova had crystallized all of the curatives Nyx had gathered at the Citadel as well as with the rest of their supplies and personal bags, they were on a direct course out of the city, leaving behind the freezing winds of Insomnia for the blazing heat of Leide.

Nova had surprised Nyx with one other gift to make the journey more enjoyable, she had bought the two of them each a new helmet with Bluetooth linked between them so they could still talk on the drive.

They arrived to Hammerhead by late afternoon, deciding to take their time and enjoy the trip instead of heading directly for the mines. Nova pulled in to gas pump where Nyx came to a stop right beside her, giving her a lopsided grin as they removed their helmets.

_We’ve hardly gone anywhere and I'm already living for this._

“There she is" came a heavily accented voice behind them.

Nova wrapped an arm around Nyx’s waist when they were both off the bikes, an attractive blonde making a direct approach toward them.

“She's not talking about me" Nova whispered to Nyx with a soft laugh, Nyx not understanding her meaning until he saw the woman head directly to Nova's motorcycle.

“And I see she has a friend with her today" the blonde said, inspecting Nyx’s bike this time. He raised an eyebrow to Nova, who could only shrug in return.

“Hey Cindy" Nova said to the woman with a slight smirk.

“Howdy Princess, and who is this tall glass of water you got with you?” Cindy said as she blatantly sized up Nyx, he gave a sheepish grin as he watched her checking him out.

_Damn, she use to be my exact type, now, nothing. Nov's really is the endgame for me._

“Nyx Ulric, Nova’s boyfriend” he replied proudly, casually throwing an arm around Nova to bring her closer to him, giving her a wink as he glanced at her adoring face.

“Ohh, well aren't you two just the sweetest. You're that soldier she had a thing for the last time through, name’s Cindy Aurum, pleasure to make your acquaintance” Cindy said happily, giving Nova a knowing look and smile.

Nyx laughed in return, “I sure hope so, otherwise me and Nov's might need to have a chat.”

Nova gave him an eye roll in return with a smile, “yeah, it's him. I'm not sure who wore which person down, but here we are.”

Cindy gave them a nod before turning her attention back to the bikes, “I got hold of a few parts for this beauty, if you don’t mind of course" the bubbly mechanic gave Nova a pleading look, one which Nova returned with a brief nod in return.

When she began to look over Nyx's new bike he could not help but to encourage her to take his as well and have a field day with it.

_Can't fight with enthusiasm like that._

They drove both bikes over to the garage, Cindy had hardly even acknowledged them when they departed, leaving the mechanic to her own devices as she continued to size up their motorcycles.

“Reggie’s gone and sent you out this way again then?” came the raspy voice of an older man.

Nova walked over to stand by him, leaving Nyx to follow her lead. The man gave him a quick look over while Nova answered, “yup, going to the Balouve Mines this time. Cid, this is my boyfriend and Kingsglaive solider, Nyx Ulric. Babe, this is Cid Sophiar, Cindy is his niece. He owns the garage, he traveled and fought alongside my father back in the day.”

Cid gave a small snort, “back in day, like I've gone and rolled over in my grave already. Nyx you said? You're Galahdian then?” he asked of the younger man.

_Oh great, here comes the judgment._

Nyx slightly stiffened up, but nodded in reply. Cid looked at him with hard eyes, doing nothing for the tension building in Nyx's chest.

“Mm, nice place, good people. Too humid for my liking but still, sad to hear it had been taken over by those damn Nifs” Cid huffed, earning an immense amount of respect from Nyx as he let out a sigh of relief.

_Right, not in the Crown City, people are less prejudice beyond the wall._

“Thanks, but they'll pay for it one day, I'll see to that myself" Nyx said determinedly.

“Good man,” Cid said, patting the younger man's arm, “you lovebirds go on and get the caravan for the night before it gets swooped out from under you" the older man said with a wave as he sat back in his lawn chair.

Following the older man's order, Nyx and Nova rented the caravan for the night. Nyx made them both dinner to enjoy while Nova checked in with Cor to inform him of their safe arrival to Hammerhead.

They relocated the outdoor set of chairs and table to the back side of the caravan in order to sit out and enjoy the desert plains in front of them with some added privacy while they ate.

“You know, this is where I would have liked to lived if things were different, before you took me to Galahd that is” Nova told him vacantly as she watched a pack of sabertusks hunt their prey in the distance.

“It's nice here, but I think Galahd is more our pace. We would have a small little house on the beach, where we would sit on the deck and watch the sunrise and sunset every day over the water. With the rainforest nearby so we could do some hiking as well on the days we don't feel like swimming or surfing. And it would be close enough to Ma's so she won't get after me about not visiting" Nyx hummed pleasantly at the thought of.

_Maybe a few kids running around._

He looked beside him to see Nova with a tender smile on her face, “seems you've given this some thought.”

Nyx gave her his trademark lopsided grin in return, with a one shoulder shrug and a wink, “might have crossed my mind once or twice.”

“It sounds perfect Nyx, I can't wait for that life with you" she said with a slight laugh, but he could see the sad longing look clouding her usually clear blue eyes, it was the same look that he could feel lingering behind his own.

_Maybe in our next lifetime together Princess._

The rest of the evening and night was spent under the desert sky, watching as the bright blues above them changed to a vibrant orange and fiery red before settling on the stars in the dark coming to life and dancing in front of them.

A bright light briefly blazed across the night sky, disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared, Nova flashed Nyx a quick smile, “make a wish Hero.”

He smiled back to her, “I already have everything I could ever wish for my star" Nyx said with a wink.

Nova gave him a loving look across the table, reaching across to hold his hand. With a gentle squeeze, he brought it to his lips, kissing each individual knuckle.

_I wish we didn't have duties to keep us from the life I want for us._

“I wish for a lifetime of nights like this" Nova said light, hardly above a whisper.

“Me too Princess. You know, in Galahd when you see a shooting star they say it’s Astrea showing her favor to whoever saw it. If you follow it’s trail you'll apparently receive her blessing” Nyx told her as he looked across the desert, daemons prowling across its dry barren plains.

“Has anyone ever tried? Did anyone ever receive her blessing?” Nova asked curiously, her eyes followed Nyx's in returning to the direction they had seen the shooting star pass.

Nyx gave a slight laugh, “no my star, it's just a children’s tale. It’s to give kids a hope that the Gods are watching out for us.”

“Maybe they are, you just need to know where to look" Nova replied quietly, her fingers aimlessly playing with the small amulet that hung around her neck. With a sly smile, she rose from her chair, pulling Nyx up with her as he continued to hold her hand.

_Oh, here we go._

“Seriously? There's daemons out there now though" Nyx said as he read the intentions of her mischievous smile across her face.

“Nothing you can't handle Hero" with a wink, Nova released his hand, the kukri he gave her crystallized in her grasp and with it she disappeared in a bright flash of blue across the dark landscape.

_She really is a wild one, this is why she's the only woman to ever truly claim my heart._

Nyx gave a hearty laugh before he warped after her, in love with her passionate soul. He chased her across the barren desert landscape, neither of them entirely sure where they were going.

When Hammerhead was a bit too far away for Nyx’s comfort, not for himself but to keep Nova safe, he caught up to her, grabbing her hand in his own.

“I don't think we should go much farther my star” Nyx said hesitantly as he scanned the area near them, an eerie feeling of not being alone crept down his spine as he looked to the surrounding cliffs. Not a sound could be heard as the stale air felt as though it were closing in to stifle them.

_We're too trapped for my liking._

He noticed Nova was equally on guard as she took a tiny step closer to him, surveying the foggy valley they found themselves in. Nova gave a soft nudge in his arm, following her line of sight, he looked to the hazy horizon of a slight hill in the distance ahead of them.

A lone figure stood in the shadows, practically hidden from the moonlight in the base of the cliffs that enclosed them. Nyx slowly stepped in front of Nova, keeping her at bay with his arm across her chest.

_I don't like the looks of this._

The figure moved in to the light, approaching Nyx and Nova as if floating along with the very fog that was under its feet. With every movement the figure took towards the pair, they took a small one back, attempting to maintain a slight distance as they noticed the light of the moon reflecting from a sword in the figure's hand.

Blonde hair wildly swirled around the woman, her fair features almost translucent under the starry sky. A white flowing dress whisked around her figure, blending in to the mist she walked through. She continued to draw near, in a direct line to Nyx and Nova even though a white cloth was wrapped her eyes, blocking her vision.

_Is it a daemon? It sure as hell isn't human._

Nova carefully pushed Nyx’s protective arm down, gingerly taking a step towards the oncoming woman. His grey eyes grew wide in surprise at her actions, Nova gave him a small smile and nod in return.

“It's fine, she isn't here to harm us.”

“Are you sure?” Nyx was not as certain as his eyes flicked back to the sword.

“Trust me" Nova said with a nod and wink.

_This is definitely a bad idea, be careful my star._

The raven haired woman approached the golden haired woman, drawing her own blade to her hand as she closed the distance separating them. Nova almost mirrored her counterpart, their stature eerily similar, their ethereal glow unsettling as Nyx looked on.

The unknown woman stood in front of Nova, moments passed as they merely looked to one another in silence, the slight breeze on Nyx's face no longer felt like the hot desert air but of a sudden otherworldly gusting wind blowing around the valley, sending a chill through his very core.

Not a word was spoken between Nova and the mysterious woman, yet they each rose a hand in unison, the blonde placing something Nyx could not see in Nova’s hand.

The blonde woman backtracked, gliding in the fog to return to the shadows of the mountains, completely disappearing from view almost as quickly as she had appeared.  
Nyx immediately warped to Nova, she gave him a genuine smile as she turned to look at him.

“What in the actual fuck was that about?” Nyx asked bewildered, his eyes scanning the mountainside attempting to decipher where the woman had gone.

Nova let out a genuine hearty laugh, confusing the man even more than what he already was.

“A blessing given by a celestial messenger” she said excitedly, raising her hands to show Nyx what she had been given.

A stunning delicate headpiece rested in her palms, the thin golden bands that made the jewelry had been embellished with tiny gems. The precious jewels in it twinkling brightly almost like the starry night they were currently standing under, as though reflecting the stars mystic beauty.

Nyx could only gaze at the fragile looking jewelry in astonishment, “what does it mean?”

Nova gave a slight shrug as she closely inspected the headpiece in her hand, twirling it under the moonlight, “the messenger said it was to help me see the stars when the world around me becomes dark, the path to the light first needs to go through night.”

“Well that's kind of ominously vague.”

“Yeah, no joke though.”

She gently placed it on her head, it was a perfect fit, as though the Gods had made it specifically for her alone. The small golden bands a stark contrast against her dark locks, the gems dancing brightly with each movement of her head.

_She's more beautiful than Shiva herself._

“Nov's, you look gorgeous" Nyx said in awe, transfixed by how the headpiece complimented her so perfectly, a crown made of stars gingerly resting on top of her Galahdian braided one.

Nova gave him a genuine smile in return, slightly adjusting the bands to sit snugly in her long dark hair. She glanced around the valley, a slight frown written on her fair features and her eyes narrowing as she continued her survey of the land.

“What’s wrong?” Nyx asked worriedly, concerned with how such a gift could affect Nova’s wellbeing.

_Her amulet made her a lethal killing machine, Gods only know what this will do to her._

Nova faced Nyx with a slight look of confusion across her face, “I'm not sure how this is suppose to work but everything still looks the same" she said, readjusting the headpiece on her head yet again.

“Maybe it isn't dark enough out to make a noticeable difference?” Nyx skeptically proposed, gifts from the Gods were beyond him so he could only speculate the properties it possessed or how exactly it worked.

Nova gave him an uncertain nod, but had no better suggestions, “it was a bit of a cryptic description, I'm sure I'll figure it one of these days" she said with a slight shrug.

“We should head back Princess" Nyx said, nodding back in the direction they had come from.

They warped back to Hammerhead in record time, the daemons they had passed in the desolate fields could hardly even register their presence before they disappeared in to the night again, a blue blur sparking through the dark plains.

Nyx was beyond ecstatic as they reached the small lot of where their caravan was parked, the significance of what they had just encountered and experienced finally hitting him as though he had warped right against a stone wall.

_Holy shit! The old tales weren't just legends after all!_

“My star, it's true, it’s all true. The legends of the Forgotten Astral aren't just children’s tales, you have proof and her blessing now" Nyx enthusiastically said, pulling a laughing Nova in his arms to plant kisses along her crowns.

“It's insane, why me though? I didn't even know about that God until you told me” Nova asked skeptically, an unsure look crossing her features as she looked up to him.

“My star, I don't even question things involving your family anymore. You and you're brother have been destined for great things, and if the Gods want to help you out on that, then I'm not complaining and neither should you" Nyx said softly, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

Nova smiled back at him, looking a bit more at peace with the uncertainty she had felt.

“We need to celebrate, wait here" Nyx said before bounding in to the caravan and straight to his bag that he had left laying on the raggedy bed.

_I knew this would come in handy._

Within moments Nyx was back to the outdoor table set Nova was sitting on, a lopsided grin spread across his face as he held up a bottle of wine and two rocks glasses in front of Nova, who easily returned his eager expression.

“Was this is the caravan?” Nova asked, gladly accepting the wine as she gave it a swirl.

“I brought it," Nyx said with a mischievous grin, his grey eyes giving her a wink as she laughed, “I fully intended to make the most of this trip, and I figured a little date night never goes astray. I need to show my star how much I love and appreciate her.”

“You're not wrong Nyx, you sappy romantic, I love you too” Nova replied, raising her glass up to him.

Nyx followed her suit, “to the Gods, to the legends, but mostly importantly, to us, my star.”

“To us” Nova gladly cheered as they knocked their glasses together, both of them almost finishing the glass in one gulp.

It was not long before Nyx was attempting to pour the remaining few droplets of wine in to Nova's empty glass, they had downed the bottle in what could be perceived as concerning fast. To them it had only added and heightened the liveliness and exhilaration they felt of their evening.

Nyx practically leapt out of his seat as he crossed the small distance of the table separating him from Nova. Without slowing his momentum he easily picked Nova up from her chair, carrying her bridal style towards the door of the caravan.

“Nyx, what are you doing" Nova roared with laughter as she threw her arms around his neck.

He looked at her with a lopsided grin and a sly wink, “I'm not done with appreciating you yet Princess.”

Nyx laid Nova down on the worn down bed, although it was slightly dingy with distinct cigarette holes burned through the comforter, the bedding had been washed and smelled fresh in the stale caravan.

Nyx could care less about the drab appearance of their surroundings, he only had eyes on his princess as he climbed on top of her, one hand propping himself over her, while the other lightly brushed against her face before finding a gentle hold in her flowing hair.

“My star, I love you more than anything in this world.”

“I love you too Nyx, more than life itself.”

Nova's brilliant eyes shined with affection, gently biting her lip as she looked up at him. A lopsided grin stretched across Nyx’s face before he leaned down, his lips gently brushing against hers, enjoying how their soft tenderness felt against his dry chapped ones.

There was no rush to their languid kisses, each of them enjoying the taste of the other while their tongues leisurely wrestled, their fingers roaming as they grazed and ghosted across one another’s body.

Nyx broke away from Nova's warm and caring embrace long enough to pull his t-shirt over his head, his body temperature already rising in anticipation of her body wrapped around his own, the alcohol in his system only further escalating his desire.

Placing soft delicate kisses on her jawline and neck, Nyx followed the path of the chain that rested on her skin, stopping short of where the amulet laid between her breasts. Nyx continued his trail of kisses back up her collarbone and neck, softly nipping at her exposed flesh as he went.

Nyx could feel the familiar rush of blood to his cock, he placed a knee in between Nova's legs so he could relieve some of the growing pressure he felt building by pressing his hips against her thigh.

Nova released a long moan as he softly bit the sensitive skin of her neck, causing her warm core to slightly grind against his leg. Smirking, Nyx lingered on that spot, gently sucking and nibbling at the skin he knew would cause Nova to moan his name out the longer he paid his attention there.

“ _Nyx_ " came the breathy response he was waiting for, pure music to his ear and heart, however it was doing him no favors in adding more pressure in his groin as he grew hard in his suddenly too tight jeans.

His hand slid beneath her shirt, fingers ghosting across her sides as his lips met with her yet again. Nova’s hips bucking against his leg again as he hardly even grazed the sensitive skin, pushing his knee more firmly against her core to relieve her own burning desire temporarily.

“Nyx, I need you" Nova moaned and practically pleaded as his fingers brushed teasingly along where her pants rested across her hips.

“Patience my star-” Nyx seductively whispered as he grabbed the hem of her shirt to pull over her head. Small bumps spread across her skin as the cool night air tickled her bare skin. Reaching a hand around her back he unclasped her bra, her nipples hardening from the exposure of the open air as her tossed the undergarment aside. He gave her a lopsided grin and a wink, “- I'm worth the wait" Nyx said before taking one of the sensitive buds between his teeth, gently sucking it in his mouth which in return drew a lewd moan out of Nova in the process.

His one hand kept him positioned above her, not allowing his full weight on top of her, while the other knead in to the soft supple flesh of the breast his mouth was not currently locked on to.

With every bite, pinch and flick of the hardened bud, Nova would grind just a bite harder against his leg, the friction between them giving her the pleasure Nyx was prolonging while praising her body with his affectionate touches and kisses.

Nyx drew his leg away from her core, denying her the relief she so obviously craved from him, a wicked smile set across his features as his mouth trailed down her torso.

Nova was already a squirming mess beneath him, his hand following the path his kisses and teeth had made until it deftly unbuckled her jeans. Nova immediately began to kick them off, throwing them clear across the caravan once they no longer contained her from Nyx's clutches.

Nyx looked up to Nova, his grey blue ones meeting her normally crystal blue ones that were blown out in lust, watching his every move the way a couerl would watch its prey.  
With a quick wink and his trademark lopsided grin, he removed her underwear in one fluid motion before he delved in, immediately flicking at her with his tongue.

With a sharp in take of breath, a steady stream of curses to all of the known and unknown Gods and praises to her Galahdian lover spurted out from Nova as Nyx’s mouth continued his relentless assault of the sensitive bundle of nerves he was rolling between his teeth before gently sucking on it.

Nyx put all of his focus and attention on pleasuring Nova, his own hips grinding down on the hard mattress beneath him to curb his own desire while he smoothly pushed his fingers into her wet core. He felt her tighten around him when his fingers curled just enough inside her to find her sweet spot, pumping at a steady pace while his tongue and teeth applied pressure and friction to her clit.

Nova's fingers found their way in to his hair, “Nyx, please" falling from her in between moans, coaxing the man even more to send her tumbling over the edge.

“Cum for me, my star" he purred with his mouth around her clit, the vibrations and his fingers hitting with expert like precision had Nova tightening around him, her back arching as she yelled out his name.

Nyx continued to pumping his fingers in to her core and roll the bundle of nerves between his teeth, helping Nova ride out her orgasm for as long as possible.

As her body relaxed, Nyx removed his fingers and mouth from her core, sitting up to straddle her, he licked the remnants of her orgasm from around his fingers and mouth with a wink as he looked down at her, his free hand nimbly unbuckling his belt.

Nova looked up to him with nothing but affection and desire in her eyes as he shimmied out of his jeans and boxers, his hard cock springing free with precum already accumulating at the tip.

He pulled Nova’s legs over his shoulder as he positioned himself in front of her entrance, grasping his hard shaft with his hand to rub against Nova's hot wet core. Searching in to Nova's eyes for permission, she gave him a loving smile and nod before he thrust in to her, sheathing his cock in one fell swoop.

Nyx set a relaxed pace in his thrusts, his hand holding her one leg in place over his shoulder while he bombarded it with feather-like kisses, his other hand meandering down her thigh and between her legs, rubbing circles in her clit with the rough pad of his thumb.

Setting her legs down to plant himself above her, Nyx brought his lips crashing into hers with a pure need and desire to be closer to Nova, to feel her on every part of his body as her core tightened more and more around his cock with every roll of his hips in to her. Nova moaned in his mouth as she tasted herself on his tongue as they kissed, her breathing becoming labored as her own hips rode to meet his own from underneath.

“Nyx, I'm going to cum again" she panted between breaths and thrusts, Nyx feeling the telltale signs of her orgasm rapidly approaching as she squeezed around him.

He snapped his hips more forcefully, enticing her to unravel around him with a more firm pace, “that's it Princess, cum on me” he growled as his scruff rubbed against the crook of her neck as he bit the sensitive skin near her ear.

Nyx’s own orgasm was steadily building but he was a man on a mission who would refuse to yield until Nova was satisfied.

Nova's back arched under him, her core impossibly tight around him and the string of moans with his name on her lips was the final push he needed to send himself tumbling over the edge with her.

He worked Nova through her orgasm while his own took hold of him, emptying himself inside of her as his hips snapped at a more sloppy pace.

Nyx leaned down to give Nova a gently loving kiss, one which she eagerly returned. He laid on top of her, his head resting on her breast for a pillow while her fingers ran through his hair. They remained that way until for a while, Nyx listening to Nova's heartbeat go from racing to a more steady beat, he allowed his own breathing to follow her rhythm.

“So much for appropriate sleeping arrangements and being safe with you" Nyx snickered, earning a prompt playful smack from a laughing Nova.

“Let's be real, we both knew that wasn't going to happen. How could it when you constantly seduce me with those charming good looks of yours?”

Nyx raised his head to look at the smiling Nova, his hand coming up to touch the golden headpiece as well as her braids, “you're the captivating one here, my star” he said softly, a genuine adoring smile set across his rugged features while his eyes burned with affection.

Nova gave him a soft loving smile as Nyx lifted himself off of the bed and removed himself from her, his seed spilling from her warm core causing a distinct twitch in his groin at the sight.

Picking Nova up off the bed he carried her towards the bathroom, “let's get you cleaned up and take round two in the shower shall we?” his sultry voice softly said with a wink.

“Babe, with our stamina we’ll have claimed every surface of this caravan by dawn" she laughed as she wrapped one arm around his neck while her free hand roamed across his chest.

“That's the plan Princess” Nyx replied with a roguish grin.

The following day Nyx and Nova were late to rise, having successfully marked the caravan as their own. Mid-afternoon was rapidly approaching as they grabbed a quick bite and coffee from Takka before collecting their motorcycles.

Nyx wore his aviator sunglasses to hide the visible dark circles beneath his eyes while Nova wore a baseball cap, her golden headpiece and Galahdian braids just peeking out from under the sides.

“I thought y’all were gonna sleep the day away at the rate y’all were goin’" came the bubbly accented voice as they approached the garage.

A large lopsided smile spread across Nyx’s face as he threw his arm around Nova, noticing a subtle hobble in her steps as she kept pace with him. “We had a pretty late night, this one is insatiable and just couldn't keep her hands off me.”

Nova gave a playful huff in response, promptly giving him a slight jab in the ribs and as well what Nyx was fairly confident was a dramatic eye roll hidden under the beak of her ball cap. His arm around her shoulders pulled her in to his chest, giving her a kiss on top of the head while she snaked her arm around his waist, leaning in to the embrace.

Cindy chuckled as she watched them with arms crossed, “y’all really are sweeter than a kupoberry cheesecake, and about as cheesy too I reckon.”

“She's usually pretty salty but it balances out my sweet personality.”

“And by that, he means I'm the one who keeps his Hero complex in check.”

“I don't doubt it” the easygoing mechanic continued her laugh of the duo in front of her, with a slight nod towards the garage she motioned for them to follow her.

“Anyways, Princess, the ol' Supernova got a fine tune, and a bit of TLC seein’ as you put a good few miles on the girl since you were here last. As for this new beauty, I got her all spiffed up with the same fixin’s as the princess's bike, except the headlights, you bring me some from the Crown City your next run through and you'll be all set to clear out a horde of daemons” Cindy gushed over the motorcycles, proud as ever of what she had managed to accomplish in her limited time with the vehicles.

“I'll see if I can get some when we get back, I need those bad boys installed if I'm going to be traveling Lucis with Nov's.”

“Cindy, we need to get you added to the Royal payroll" Nova laughed at her friend’s endearing enthusiasm.

The couple each gave their appreciation to their favorite mechanic before straddling their respective bikes. Nyx revved his engine, listening to the sweet roaring purr as he gave Nova and Cindy a sly grin, shooting out of the garage and Hammerhead, speeding down the open road.

_Oh, fuck yeah._

Nova was on his tail within moments, gunning the throttle immediately behind him as they ripped down the Leide highway. Nyx lead them through the barren desert plains, there was no doubt in his mind that it was something Nova was allowing given her fondness of speeding.

Nyx slowed his motorcycle down on the rocky makeshift road he had brought them down as something caught his eye. An idea forming in his mind as he pulled over, Nova following his suit, riding up next to him.

“Everything okay?” she asked worriedly, frantically searching him and his motorcycle for damage or anything out of place from the loose gravel under their tires.

Nyx gave a soft chuckle with a genuine smile over Nova's concern, “I'm fine Princess. How do you feel about spending the night under the stars?” he asked, pointing to a haven located just off the dirt road from them.

Nova's eager blue eyes and wide grin was the only confirmation he needed as he killed the bikes engine and jumped off. The haven was on a raised plateau, overlooking the desert landscape with miles of pipeline below them and the Longwythe Peak and outpost in the distance.

Their sleeping bags and camp stove materialized in Nova's grasp as soon as their feet hit the haven, immediately handing the stove to Nyx while she unrolled and zipped their sleeping bags together.

_That's my Princess._

Nyx smiled at the sight, he had every intention of doing the same but it made his heart swell in joy that she had thought the same as him. It was not until a case of beer crystallized in Nova's grasp beside their makeshift bed that Nyx quirked an eyebrow at her, his affectionate smile turning in to a sly smirk.

“Oh babe, you didn't really think you were the only one who planned on enjoying our trip, did you?” Nova said with a playful smile, patting the cushioned ground beside her.

“Princess, are you planning on getting me drunk and taking advantage of me?” Nyx asked with a roguish grin, flopping on top of the sleeping bag beside her, pulling her on to his lap with a laugh.

Nova spun around in his lap to face him, one hand placed over his heart while the other cupped his face, “we both know I would never force you to do anything you didn't want. Not my fault you can't resist me" she said teasingly.

“Got me there Princess” Nyx laughed, pulling her in to his embrace, placing kisses in her soft wind blown hair.

Time meant nothing to Nyx and Nova as they spent their remaining day at the haven, the sweltering Leide sun moving across the vast open sky was the only indication that evening was approaching them. As dusk turned in to night they ate and sipped their beer, a roaring fire kept the crisp bite of the air at bay while Nyx held Nova in his lap, her back resting against his chest as he recounted the Galahdian tales of the constellations that danced above them.

With the fire burning low and stars shining brightly down on them, they made love under the night sky, the moonlight highlighting the delicate curves of Nova's body on top of him. They had no thoughts or fears of being seen, only a burning desire of feeling connected to each other and to be one with their surrounding environment burned through their veins.

Dawn greeted them with it’s bright warm rays beaming down on the pair cuddled in their shared sleeping bag. Nova stirred beneath Nyx's arm, shielding her face from the light in Nyx’s chest, he eagerly obliged her and pulled Nova in closer to him.

“Morning my star" he whispered in her hair, his voice husky with sleep.

“No, I'm not ready" Nova pleaded in his chest, bringing the sleeping bag over her head in a last ditch effort to cling to sleeps clutches.

“Trust me Princess, I'll never rush you to leave my arms," Nyx said with a laugh, his eyes lazily opening to take in the breathtaking sunrise that spread across the vast horizon, “although, you may want to see this.”

A confused hazy blue eye peeked out from the depths of the cover and safety the sleeping bag had been providing to look up at him before Nova rolled over to follow Nyx's line of sight.

Nyx spooned her while she took in the vibrant skyline, she hummed in appreciation and held his hand once he draped it over her waist, “it’s beautiful, this is perfect” Nova said, although her voice was laced with sleep, he could hear the amazement in her tone.

“You got that right Princess” he replied, squeezing her tight and kissing her hair.

Nyx could feel Nova drifting back to sleep in his arms so he continued to hold her close and place soft kisses on her crowns.

_Sleep my star, we have all the time in the world._

By midmorning the scorching temperatures of the desert were on the steady rise, forcing Nova to be up and out of her cocoon of a sleeping bag. After a quick breakfast, the couple were back on their bikes and traveling the short distance between the haven and the Balouve Mines.

They drove their motorcycles up the tracks leading to the mine, parking them directly in front of the entrance in case a quick getaway needed to happen.

They had only made it to the mine shaft elevator before Nova stopped dead in her tracks, “oh, it's beautiful" she whispered under her breath, hardly loud enough for Nyx to hear.

Nyx searched to see what Nova saw but could not fathom why she had stopped, “what are you looking at?” he asked in a huff, completely clueless.

“It’s the headpiece" Nova’s voice was amazed as she looked around the small room, her fingers brushing against the gold bands clinging to her hair. “I know it should be dark in here and that I shouldn't be able to see as well as I can, but I swear, it looks like this room is under a bright starry night sky.”

“So you do need to be in complete darkness for it to work, that’s a good asset to have” Nyx said, opening the lift in front of them and flicking on his flashlight, “unfortunately, I can't see without some light.”

Nova laughed and turned hers on as well, joining Nyx on the elevator, “that's fine, but the headpiece is a good back up incase these die” she said, waving the small light around her before clasping it to her long sleeved shirt.

The decrepit equipment shook around them, the sound of screeching metal rang through the shaft as it lowered them in to the depths of the dark abyss.

“So much for sneaking through quietly" Nova mumbled, cringing at the sharp loud sounds of metal-on-metal echoing above them as they made their slow descent.

“Guess that means the welcoming committee will be waiting for us as soon as this lift opens" Nyx wickedly grinned, a kukri already in either of his hands.

“Let’s make them wait a bit longer, I doubt the tomb would be on the first floor. Take it down at least one more, maybe we'll draw a larger crowd the deeper we go" Nova said with a wink and smile of her own, summoning her sword to her hand.

“Think they'll have a red carpet waiting for the Princess and Sword of Lucis?”

“If they don’t, we’ll make our own out of their blood as we cut them down.”

“I like how you think Princess” Nyx replied, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he flipped the Galahdian kukri in his hand.

Goblins poured in through the doorway like the plague they were the second it had cracked open an inch, their tiny claws swiping and scratching directly as Nyx and Nova's face. They dispatched of the horde quickly, weaving around each other's stabs and slashes with graceful ease.

They fought their way through the abandoned tunnels, goblins crawling from the surrounding mine carts and dark crevices that lined the eerie halls. The duo effortlessly cut through the ranks, making good progress as they went deeper in to the daemon infested mine.

Nyx fell in to his old habits he had developed with the Kingsglaive as he called out each of his kills, “8.. 9.. 10..”

“You didn't tell me we were competing” Nova's voice rang out as she sliced the chest of a goblin, sending it back to it’s fiery hell.

“Loser goes down on the other when we get back to civilization?”

“Babe, so naughty. Can't wait to see you between my legs.”

Nyx and Nova each flashed each other a ruthless smile before continuing their offensive attack through the never ending daemons that haunted the halls.

A few dead ends and a couple wrong turns through the tunnels eventually gave way to a open chamber, a lone ronin stood on the caverns floor, as though awaiting their arrival.

With a quick nod to one another, Nyx and Nova warped in, striking the daemon on both sides. They worked in perfect harmony, syncing their movements so that the daemon had no time to counter or block most of their constant barrage of attacks.

The ronin evaded some of the blows and dealt back a few of it’s own powerful attacks, Nyx earning a deep gash across his forearm and Nova a shallow slash running along her jawline. Before long they sent the daemon back to the pits of hell it has risen from, with Nyx and Nova walking away mostly unscathed.

An elixir each renewed their stamina and caused their injuries to beginning its mending process, leaving fresh pink skin where open wounds had just been.

“My star, your face" Nyx sullenly said, raising her chin to look at the newly formed scar that ran the length of her jaw, from her earlobe to stop just under her chin.

“Is it hideous? It felt like my face was peeled off" Nova asked anxiously, wiping away the blood that had dripped down her neck as Nyx continued his examination.

“No, it's not that bad Princess,” Nyx softly chuckled before his sorrowful eyes met with her relieved ones, “I’m sorry, I should have never let it get close enough to hurt you.”

_I severely fucking fucked up._

Nyx had to look away from Nova, the mark under her face a glaring reminder that stabbed his heart of his failure in protecting the only person he wanted to shelter from the world and it’s evil.

“Nyx Ulric, don't you dare try to take the blame for what happened. You were on the opposite side of the room practically bleeding out on the floor from your own wound. There's nothing you could have done" Nova was stern in her tone but loving in her movements, placing a hand to his chest while the other rest on his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

“Yeah, I know, but-"

“Nyx. You're here to help and support me, not keep me in a protective bubble.”

Nyx sighed, placing his hand on top of Nova's against his face, “I know that my star, I just don’t like seeing you hurt, you know how it is.”

Nova nodded and hummed in understanding as she eyed the latest of Nyx’s scars running the width of his forearm. Looking back to him, she gave him a soft smile, “let's get this damn royal arm and get out of here. That's the strongest daemon we've faced yet so the tomb must be around here somewhere.”

It did not take long before their search brought them to the hidden crypt. Nova wasted no time in obtaining the Bow of the Clever while Nyx stood near the doorway, watching in unsettling awe as the crystalline weapon pierced through Nova’s chest.

“I don't know if I'll ever get use to seeing that" he said with an uneasy laugh.

“And I don't know if I'll ever get use to the feeling of it" Nova laughed in return, “let's get out of here, I've had my fill of daemons for one day.”

“I couldn't agree with you more Princess” Nyx said, casually throwing an arm around Nova's shoulders as they left the tomb behind them, traversing the now empty dark tunnels through the mines.

The early afternoon sun greeted them as they left the depths of the underground, the blistering rays cleansing their souls of the looming weight from the horrors of the dark.

“You know Princess, I think the day is too far gone for us to make it all the way back to the Crown City" Nyx said with a lopsided grin and a wink.

“How tragic, guess we’ll have to spend another night in Leide” Nova gave a playful huff, “you know, we’re not too far off from Galdin Quay” she continued, a sly grin on her face as she hopped on to her bike.  
Nyx easily returned her mischievous grin,

“Gods, I love you.”

“I love you too Nyx. Now, try and keep up. I plan on being in the ocean within the hour" Nova threw Nyx his helmet while she pulled on her own.

“You packed a swimsuit?” he laughed, straddling his own motorcycle while he slipped the helmet over his head.

“Nope, that'll just make it easier for you to fulfill your losing bet" came the alluring reply in his ear from their connected helmets, Nova gave him a wink before closing the visor over her face.

True to her word, Nova had them on the coastline in her given time frame. They set up camp at a haven on the secluded edge of the white sands and sought out their own personal beach, finding one nestled between boulders on the coast, tucked away from the prying eyes of tourists.

Nova checked in with Cor while her and Nyx waded into the cerulean water, Nyx anticipating a stern lecture from the Marshal, but the laugh from Nova as she hung up only confused him.

“Cor said to make sure we wear sunscreen and to take an extra day or two for a rest from our mission" Nova said with a beaming smile and light laugh, Nyx joined her laughter and released a relieved breath he did not know he had been holding.

“It's no Galahd, but it’s not too shabby" Nyx smiled in appreciation as he skinny dipped in the warm waves with Nova.

“I’d take Galahd any day over this, but it’s a close second" Nova laughed as she floated with the tides.

“Not a bad honeymoon location though" Nyx causally mentioned as he eyed the resort in the distance, thinking of the incredible view the rooms would offer.

“You're not wrong" nodded in agreement, “although, it’s a bit too touristy for my liking, I'd still pick Galahd.”

_Galahd it is then my star._

They spent the two days Cor had allowed them making the most of their time together in Galdin Quay. They spent their days in the warm Cygillan Ocean or hiking the nearby cliffs, while nights were spent around the campfire of their haven in one another's arms while they ate and drank under the stars, the moonlight reflecting on the calm ocean waters as they looked out at it.

_Can we just do this for the rest of our lives?_

Nyx and Nova reluctantly returned to their life in the bustling Crown City, and to the confines of Nova's apartment, their only sanctuary in a city their hearts did not belong to. Nyx immediately called Drautos from Nova's couch, reporting his return to the Captain, who only told him he was not needed with the glaive anytime soon.

“So when we give a mission report to Cor and your father tomorrow, I think we should request immediate deployment and just go get all the remaining royal arms over the next few months, or years, whatever" Nyx said with a lopsided grin and laugh.

Nova laughed with him as she flopped on the couch beside him, cuddling in to his open arm, “don't think we could manage years, but I think we could wiggle out a few months at least.”

“I can live with that” Nyx replied as he ran his fingers through Nova's long hair.

“Me too, but with the holidays coming up we probably won't be able to leave until after that.”

Nyx pulled Nova in to his lap with her facing toward him, “I don't mind waiting if it means more time with you my star" he softly said as he raised her chin, his fingers grazing the faint scar under her jaw as he pulled her in for a passionate kiss.

_I’ll always wait for you, until the day I die. Then I'll wait for you in our next life, my star._


	25. The Sword

_“The most beautiful things in life are not things._  
_They’re people and places and memories and pictures._  
_They're feelings and moments and smiles and laughter.”_  
_-Unknown_

 

Green eyes grew wide in amazement and shock as the other set of blue orbs that looked to her remained neutral and unfazed while Nova recounted her experience with the celestial messenger to her father and the Marshal in the desert plains of Leide.

Nyx sat silently beside her, Nova knew that even though he had been there with her that night and witnessed first-hand the exchange with his own eyes, Nyx still could hardly comprehend that the legends of his homeland were not quite the fairytales he had believed them to be.

There was a brief moment of silence between the four of them as Regis and Cor digested the news, Nova quickly glanced to Nyx beside her who gave her a reassuring smile and wink.

“This certainly changes things" Regis was the first to speak and break the looming stillness of the cozy room, casually leaning back in his seat as he looked to the dancing flames of the fire by his side that kept his private study a pleasant temperature on those crisp winter nights.

“Does it though? What's another God at this point" Cor nonchalantly replied with his distinct monotone voice and calm demeanor, the revelation had meant practically nothing to the man.

Another brief moment of silence passed through the room, the only noise to be heard was coming from the soothing sounds of the crackling wood as the fire ate through the stacked logs.

“It could be nothing or it could be everything" Regis mumbled vaguely under his breath, still looking to the flames as though they held the answers he was searching for.

Nova and Nyx gave each other a quick curious glance at the cryptic words, neither of them understanding the meaning behind them. She had thought her father would be shocked about the development but that he would be excited from the news, instead Regis was uncertain and reserved in his thoughts and emotions.

“Whatever it means, I think it best if this information does not leave this room. It is hard to say how the news would cause the general public to react, it would crumble the Cosmogony teachings and could potentially shake people's faith in the Six” Cor thoughtfully said as he reclined in his seat next to the king, crossing a leg for his ankle to rest on the opposite knee.

“So no Astrea the Celestian, Goddess of the Stars, being added to history books then?” Nyx lightly chucked, casually placing an arm along the back of the couch him and Nova were sharing.

Cor merely shook his head in response while Nova gave him a slight smile, she knew he had been hoping that the Galahdian legends would get the recognition they deserved but now that dream was crushed due to the politics of running a kingdom.

“Technically speaking, the Cosmogony specifically speaks of the six Gods of Eos, a celestial God in the stars would not pertain to that description I wouldn’t think" Regis contemplated, bringing his attention back to his company with a soft smile.

“How diplomatic of you, father" Nova said with a laugh as she crossed her arms, leaning closer to Nyx's open chest as his arm continued to rest on the couch behind her.

Regis gave a soft chuckle in response, “it's not ideal, but I must agree with Cor, until we know more, there is no need to cause a ruckus amongst the citizens. All we have for information is your encounter and the Galahdian tales from Nyx, that is hardly enough to go on.”

“Precisely" Cor said briefly glancing at his old friend before turning his attention back to the couple on the couch, “you two did well, I think we can all agree with the fact that you're both more than capable of longer excursions, correct?”

“Absolutely.”

“You bet.”

Came the enthusiastic responses from Nova and Nyx, attempting to not look overly eager but failing miserably in their attempt. The Marshal gave a knowing look to the King, the both of them letting out a soft laugh.

“We shall discuss that further in the coming weeks. Let us first get through the holiday’s shall we? We have the celebrations for the Winter Solstice Carnival next week followed by the Annual Royal Holiday Ball before Christmas and New Year's” Regis said, pointedly looking at his daughter while he spoke.

She gave a slight nod and smile to her father while Nyx nodded his agreement and understanding beside her, Nova had suspected that would be the case but still she could not help but to be a bit disappointed in having to wait a few weeks.

“I assumed as much, and how many of those events can Nyx be given off?” Nova asked with a sly smirk, placing her hand on Nyx's thigh while she spoke.

Regis gave out a hearty laugh at his daughter's question, he quickly glanced to the Marshal beside him who also let out a soft chuckle as well, “I blame her lack of graceful conversation on you" to which Cor could only shrug in response, a small proud smirk creeping along his features.

“I'll see what can be arranged with Drautos, but I will personally guarantee Christmas at the very least. If you were to tell me that Nyx is to be your plus one for the Holiday Ball in order for you two announce your relationship to the general public, then I'm sure we could arrange that night as well" Regis replied with his own mischievous grin and wink.

“Thanks Dad, I think it's about that time, don't you babe?” Nova said cheerfully as she looked to the man beside her.

“I couldn't agree more Princess” Nyx replied, his own lopsided grin stretching his scruffy tan face.

Regis gave a pointed look to Cor, the Marshal nodded in understanding, “I'll inform Drautos now so he has time to adjust his schedule" Cor said, a subtle smile almost beginning to form around the ridges of his mouth as he stood to leave the study.

Once the Marshal had taken his leave, Regis drew his attention to Nyx, “I don't know if I'm overstepping my bounds, but I would hope you will join our family for Christmas this year.”

“Pretty sure it’s impossible for the King to overstep any limits there your Highness," Nyx said with a hearty laugh and his lopsided grin, “but I would love to, I appreciate the offer.”

True to his word, King Regis had ordered Drautos to give Nyx the time off he had promised, much to the dismay of the Captain. In exchange however, Nyx was forced on to the night shift guard duty for his remaining shifts in order to accommodate the switches that had to be made.

It was an arrangement Nyx and Nova were not particularly enthused about, but it was a small sacrifice Nyx was more than happy to make for them.

“We just need to get through the holiday’s and then we’ll have all the time together my star” Nyx said, as he put on his Kingsglaive uniform, preparing for his first of many night shifts to come.

“It's definitely worth it, but now I have to sleep by myself in a cold lonely bed" Nova dramatically sighed as she flopped on to Nyx’s bed, watching as he tied the long laces of his combat boots.

Nyx gave her his lopsided grin as he looked to her dramatic pouty expression while she was sprawled across his tiny bed, “how are you going to survive Princess?” He said with a wink as he stood, throwing his uniform jacket around his shoulders.

Nova slowly stood from the small bed, purposely swaying her hips as she walked up the man, “with thoughts of you to keep me company, Hero.”

She pulled Nyx by the collar of his Kingsglaive jacket for a passionate kiss, he gave her a soft smile as they parted before stealing one last chaste kiss from her.

“I love you my star, I’ll text you when I can, which will probably be a lot since I'll be patrolling the empty Citadel corridors" Nyx said as he lead her out of his small run-down apartment.

“Maybe one of these nights I'll sleep over in my old room, give you a distraction during your dull rounds” Nova said suggestively as they neared the busy crowded streets of the Galahdian District.

Nyx gave her a lopsided grin while pulling her in for a hug, “you know how much I would absolutely love that, but you should spend your time with your friends and brother, you're going to be away from them a lot longer than you will with me Princess.”

Nova nodded in agreement at the suggestion, “Nyx, this is why I love you, too thoughtful for your own good sometimes. I love you and I'll see you in two weeks Hero" she said, with a wave over her shoulder as she left the man in order for him to report in for duty at the Citadel.

They had agreed it made more sense for Nyx to stay at his own apartment during his night shift rotation, both of them knowing full well that if he stayed at Nova's he would be inclined to not rest properly in between his shifts so that he could spend time with her.

Nova did as Nyx had recommended, spending as much quality time as she could with those that she would miss while being away. Nova invited Crowe to her apartment for a wine and snack filled girl's night where they stayed up late on her couch watching movies and talking, it gave Crowe the opportunity to ask all the burning questions she had concerning Nova's relationship with Nyx.

Nova spent the following day by nursing a massive hangover on Noct's couch, Nova had kept him home from school to play video games and ordered takeout, a request Noctis was completely willing to oblige.

Ignis however did not share their opinion on that matter, but relented when Nova spoke of her upcoming absence from the Crown City, the royal advisor became much more accommodating after that, even going to pick up the food they had ordered.

Nova’s final plan came in the form of attending the Winter Carnival with her neglected best friend, Gladio.

The Winter Solstice was in honor of the Glacian and her gentleness and affection towards humanity, her temperament being as soft as the very snowflakes that were falling from the sky to dust the delicate ice sculptures of the Goddess herself.

The Sword and Shield meandered down the icy paths as dusk approached, the pathways lit with tiny string lights that gave a magical ambiance to the powdery snow on the ground as well to the elegant flakes lazily floating down.

They weaved through the crowds that had gathered for the music, games and rides of the wintry celebration.

Gladio causally rested his arm over Nova’s shoulders while she had her arm around his waist, leaning in to the warm embrace of her best friend.

“So if Ulric wasn't on nights, would you have ditched me for the new boyfriend?” Gladio asked her teasingly, giving her a smirk as he squeezed her closer to him.

“And bail on our annual tradition? I'm appalled you would think so little of me" Nova playfully replied as she ate her ulwaat berry flavored snow cone.

Gladio gave her approving smile and nod while he lead them towards the lines of people waiting to board the rides around them, “so rollercoaster, followed by the drop ride, and then remainder of the evening snow tubing?” he said with a knowing look and smirk towards Nova.

A large smile appeared across her face as she finished her icy treat, “you know me too well Gladdy, it is tradition after all.”

“And we’re not one to break those, now are we?” Gladio said with a hearty laugh, cutting through the long line of people waiting to get on the rollercoaster, one of the many perks of attending the carnival with royalty.

Nova crammed in to the shared seat with the behemoth of a man on the ride, Gladio easily threw his arm back behind Nova to allow her to have some semblance of space to move.

“I swear, if you keep bulking up the way you are, we won't be able to fit in these together anymore” Nova said with a huff as she wiggled in the seat, leaning as much in to Gladio's open arm as she could to get comfy.

Nova looked at the larger man, a proud obnoxious smile spread across his face. The slight distance between them made it possible for her to make out the tiny flecks of brown in his amber orbs and close enough to tell that he had taken her words as a compliment with the way his eyes sparked to life.

“Baby girl, I'm flattered that you've been checking me out, not sure how Ulric would feel though" Gladio replied with a roguish grin and wink, followed by a hearty laugh.

“Don't flatter yourself big guy, we both know I didn't mean it like that" Nova continued with a dramatic eye roll as the ride began.

“Whatever you say baby girl.”

“No wonder your muscles are getting so big they’re busting at the seams trying to keep that ego contained.”

A roar of laughter left the two friends as the rollercoaster began it’s slow ascent, Gladio flashed her a roguish grin while Nova gave him a wink in return before they were barreling back towards the ground.

The friends rode rides and slid down the icy slopes with easy laughs leaving them, smiles permanently fixed on their faces as they enjoyed hot beverages and the warmth in their casual comfortable embrace of Gladio's arm around Nova's shoulder.

Evening turned in to night and with it the tiny fragile snowflakes that had previously given the carnival a winter wonderland atmosphere gave way to a heavier wetter snow, icy winds blowing in from the north in fierce gusts caused the fairgrounds to quickly rival that of a blizzard blazing across the artic tundra.

Nova and Gladio fled the roaring whiteout that had quickly taken over the Crown City for the refuge and warmth of Nova's apartment. The high-rise building shook with the violent squalls of blasting snow beating against it, winds howling as they screeched between the buildings.

Gladio flopped on Nova's couch, immediately making himself comfortable in the familiar apartment as Nova grabbed them each a beer and a few snacks before she joined the large man on the sectional.

The lights in the apartment and on the streets below flickered with each gust, soon threatening to give way as the storm continued to rage around the Crown City.

Neither of the friends paid it any attention as they clinked their beer bottles together, Nova stretching out to rest her feet in Gladio’s lap.

“Is it cool if I crash here tonight? Can't say I want to go back out in to that shitshow if I don't have to" Gladio asked with a large swig of his crisp beer.

Nova gave him a genuine laugh at the request, “I already assumed you would be, when have you ever asked before?”

Gladio gave a slight shrug as drew his attention away from Nova to look out at the storm through the window, “yeah, well, you've never had a boyfriend you live with, don't wanna make him angry or whatever” the young Shield slightly mumbled.

She quirked an eyebrow at her best friend, regardless of the fact that he was not looking at her, “that's weirdly considerate of you but my relationships have never stopped you in the past from staying over. Also, Nyx doesn't live with me, he's staying at his own place.”

Gladio snorted before turning his gaze back to Nova for a brief moment, “that's not the point Novie” the young Shield sighed as he took another gulp from the brown bottle in his grasp as he ran a hand over his face.

Nova had never known her best friend to struggle with words which was why it had come as a shock to see him hesitate.

Gladio had always been nothing but direct and blunt with what he said, it was both a blessing and curse for the man but it was a trait that she cherished in him. In a stifling world where everyone had only ever told her what they thought Nova had wished to hear, Gladio was her breath of fresh air that would always keep her grounded.

That was not the Gladio who sat in front of her now, eyes darting to look at anything besides her face while his fingers picked and fidgeted at the label wrapped around the beer bottle. With a deep sigh he ran his hand through his hair to scratch the back of his neck, the only nervous tick Nova knew Gladio possessed.

“This time is different, this isn't some asshole rich kid who just wants you as his trophy prize to show you off to his other asshole friends, you know? Ulric is actually serious about you, he's a good fit for you and a good guy. I don't wanna fuck that up by overstepping any bounds that would make him or you uncomfortable, I love you Novie and you fucking deserve to be happy for once.”

Nova had to take a moment to process Gladio's words, not because they had caught her off guard but merely from the earnest honesty he had displayed with his emotions as he spoke, a mixture of apprehension and sincere conviction flowing through his words.

It was uncharacteristic of her best friend, who went through life with heavy sarcasm and redirecting any conversation that could pertain to showing the vulnerability of his feelings.

“Gladdy.. thank you, I appreciate that and you” Nova said with a genuine smile, the complete weight of her best friend not approving of the man she was in a relationship with finally being lifted her from shoulders, it was no longer a heavy cross Nova had to bear.

“I love you too big guy, but you better be careful, you're almost starting to sound like you respect Nyx" she added with a laugh, giving a light kick to the man's thigh with her foot.

Gladio laughed with her, the usual playful spark dancing behind his amber eyes again as he reclined to a more casual position on the couch, “yeah, well, it's a work in progress but I'm making the effort and so is he, so I respect that.”

The apartment and city outside were suddenly sunk in to darkness causing a pause in their conversation, the howling winds echoing through the city streets rang loudly in the eerily quiet room.

Nova could see clearly in the lightless room, her headpiece resting in her dark locks lit up the living room as though the Leide night sky had taken up residence in her apartment.

She watched as Gladio's face glowed in the moonlight the jewels granted her vision, his expression changing from relaxed to serious in a mere matter of seconds.

Her own face followed suit as a sinking feeling crept in to her stomach as she heard the distinct haunting sounds of daemons rising from their ghastly hell on the streets outside.

The back-up generator in the apartment roared to life, providing them with enough light to keep any daemons at bay. It was standard issue in all inhabitable buildings for them to be installed, but it did nothing to curb Nova’s building concern for a certain glaive who was on active duty that night.

She swiftly grabbed her phone from the coffee table in front of her and typed out a message to Nyx.

Me: Power's out here, what's going on at the Citadel?

Nova's front door swung open only to be immediately slammed and locked as a mop of black hair warped across the room, a crashing weight falling in to her as scared big blue eyes looked up to meet her face.

“Wuss" Gladio cackled as he took in the scene in front of him.

“Shut it" Noctis promptly replied with a swift kick to the larger man's ribs as his embrace was returned by his older sister.

Nova laughed as well at her younger brother as he was sprawled across herself and Gladio, his head resting on her stomach while his feet dangled on the Shields legs.

It made her heart happy that Noctis still sought her out for protection and safety, even now in his teenage years. The thoughts and fears of daemons was still a particularly difficult nightmare of his given the near death experience he had at the hands of one as a child.

Her hand ran through his unruly hair, a gesture that had calmed him as a child that happened to still held a soothing effect on him, “It’s fine baby brother, ignore the big guy.”

“Usually do” Noct snickered as Nova continued to run her fingers through his hair.

Nova's phone vibrated in her free hand, her heart dropping at the words displayed across the small screen.

Hero: Secured and locked down here Princess, there’s reports coming in of daemons terrorizing civilians who are stuck in the storm. I'm being deployed to the streets to clear out the hordes.

Me: Be careful out there and don't do anything reckless Hero.

Nova stopped her motions through Noct's hair, she gave a resigned and unwavering glance to Gladio before speaking to them both, “I have to go, the daemons are tormenting Crown citizens who couldn't make it to safety.”

Gladio nodded in understanding having already had an idea of what she would say with the look that had passed between them, while frightened wide blue eyes looked up to her as she spoke, “Novie you can't, isn't that a job for the Kingsglaive?” Noctis pleaded as she shifted his weight off of her.

She stood and walked to her door, sliding her feet in to her worn combat boots as she quickly wrapped long laces around her ankle and boots before tying them in the front.

“I have to Noct, Gladio is here to protect you. I need to make sure the daemons are kept under control until the power comes back" she answered it with a slight sigh, but the fire leaping to life behind her eyes at the prospect of battle betrayed the unconvincing regret of leaving she attempted to portray.

Nova strapped her kukri around her thigh as a safety precaution before it was hidden from view by pulling on her knee length charcoal grey parka around her body. She rummaged through her entryway closet that contained her winter gear, grabbing her ski goggles and neck gaiter to protect her face and eyes from the raging storm, knowing full well the fierce gusts of snow would show her no mercy.

“Novie, please be careful.”

“Kick ass baby girl.”

Nova gave the boys on her couch a quick wink and a wicked smile before hiding her face from view with her winter attire. Pulling the fur lined hood securely over her head, she stepped out on to her patio, the strong gusts threatening to push her over the edge as she surveyed what little of the landscape she could through the whiteout.

_Odds are this area is secured or is going to be the first one the glaives will be sent to once they leave the Citadel. So, that means the lower income districts will be on the bottom of the priority list._

With a decision made, Nova warped off of her balcony to the building across the street, the icy footing and poor visibility doing nothing to assist her as the winds undermined her accuracy. Nova was resilient however as she crossed the city rooftops, making the journey to the Galahdian district far slower than she cared for.

As Nova had suspected, goblins and other daemons were running rampant in the Little Galahd streets. Thankfully she could not immediately notice any unsuspecting civilians falling to the sharp claws of the small pests, either she was already too late or they had taken refuge already.

Nova dropped to ground level, taking out three oblivious goblins with one slice of her scimitar. She effortlessly cut through the horde, her movements silent and lethal in the loud wind tunnel that had been created around her from the storm.

Hours passed and neither Nova nor the storm relented in their assaults, the blizzard wrecking havoc on the Crown City while Nova attempted to do damage control by killing the daemons that spawned in the night.

She had managed to assist in clearing a path for a young man trying to get home from work, a mother and child trapped in the confines of their car as daemons threatened to topple it over, even clearing a bus where goblins beat on the windows, their tiny claws wanting to dig in to the flesh of horrified passengers as the vehicle tires squealed in place from attempting to flee.

Eventually the storm passed as the night became early morning, the power returned as the fierce gusts turned in to a gentle breeze, leaving the city in a wintry tranquil state.

Nova returned to her apartment to find Noctis and Gladio asleep on the couch, she snuck in to her room quietly and shut the door behind her as she removed her layers of clothes sweat and snow soaked clothes.

Crawling in to the warmth of her lonely bed, she quickly looked at her phone one last time for the night, an unread message waiting for her.

Hero: Safe and sound, word on the street is that there's a new hero in town. And who is the reckless one again?

Nova snorted as she read the text, quickly typing back one of her own as she sunk deeper in to her cozy blankets.

Me: No idea what you're talking about. I'm going to sleep now, I love you.

Instantly her text was marked as read, she waited for a response before allowing the exhaustion she had acquired take hold of her.

Hero: Of course not, why would you.. Good night my star, I love you too.

Nova smiled at her phone before closing her eyes, sleep coming easily from knowing daemons were no longer roaming freely in her city streets and that her friends and family were safe.

It was late the next morning when she awoke, the previous night taking more of a toll on her than she had suspected it would. Nova rose from her bed and opened her bedroom door, finding Noctis, Gladio and Ignis gathered around her living room coffee table. She joined the men on the couch, Ignis instantly rising to pour her a fresh mug of coffee.

“It seems you had a busy evening my dear" the advisor said after Nova had taken a few sips of the dark bitter coffee he had provided her with.

Nova gave him a slight shrug and smile, assuming her brother and Gladio must have filled him in on her late night excursion. Instead, Ignis handed her two newspapers, that were folded neatly on her table.

In bold letters displayed across either paper were two very different headlines, both of which pertaining to her.

**Royal Romance: Shield warms cold heart of Princess**

The Crown City Chronicles article made Nova roll her eyes and throw it on her coffee table as she looked at the candid photo that had been snapped of her and Gladio, they were squeezed together in the rollercoaster seat, his arm around her shoulder as they looked at each other laughing.

Noctis and Gladio erupted in laughter, even Ignis could not contain letting out a few chuckles at the expense of the out of context photo and inaccurate information they were spreading.

“Another year, another article of these so called reporters attempting to create a story where there isn't one" Nova huffed as her eyes skimmed across the headline of the other paper.

**Our Sword and Savior: Princess protects the people.**

Some how the Galahdian Gazette had captured a rather blurry and grainy photo of what was undoubtedly Nova, even with her face covered she was easily recognizable from the scimitars she held in either hand as she fought a horde of daemons single-handedly in front of the bus full of civilians.

“Now this is a story I can get behind. Would someone with a cold heart protect the people? I don't fucking think so” Nova defiantly said in response to the jab at her in the first title she had read.

“I must say, this one does a fine job in painting you in a positive light by not only stating your actions but speaking of your character as well, the feedback has been nothing but stellar. I daresay you have quickly gained the respect and loyalty of the lower income district residents” Ignis thoughtfully explained as Nova briefly skimmed over the fine print of the article.

Nova nodded in response as she carefully folded the newspaper back in to the pristine condition it had been in when Ignis had passed it to her, with a laugh she placed it overtop of the tabloid paper displaying her and Gladio on the front page. “If they like me now then they're going to love me next week when me and Nyx go public with our relationship.”

“And break the hearts of all the Crown citizens that are clearly invested in you and Gladio getting together" Noctis laughed, thoroughly excited at the notion.

Little did she know, Noctis could not have been more accurate in his statement. The Royal Holiday Ball had come and gone, and in it’s wake was a media frenzy surrounding her relationship with the Galahdian man.

Every newspaper and media outlet plastered a photo of Nova and Nyx as their cover, it was a photo released by the Citadel as they shared a tender moment during a dance, her hand resting on his chest while Nyx placed a kiss to her forehead. The loving smile across her face and the Galahdian braids proudly woven in to her long locks were on full display.

Nova, Nyx and Noctis read through the headlines of a few papers while sitting by the fireplace in Regis private study, awaiting the king to join them for their Christmas morning traditions.

Noctis snickered as he threw one of the papers directly in front of Nyx as the older man sat crossed leg on the floor, with the blazing fire at his back.

“Sword stabs Shields heart with mystery man” Nyx said as he read the title, an easy laugh leaving him as he placed it on the floor beside him. “Princess, how could you be so heartless?” he playful teased Nova as she laid on the floor beside him, her head resting in his lap.

“Cause I'm obviously a terrible person" Nova laughed as Noctis picked up another paper from the small pile to read.

“Princess and the Pauper: A Royal pet project?” Noctis cackled with laughter again,

“I am living for these titles. Novie, I'm sorry these are at the expense of you guys, but they're pure gold.”

Nyx ran his fingers through Nova’s long hair as it draped over his legs, leaning his weight back on one hand with a smirk across his face, “not gonna lie, they're not nearly as bad as I was expecting them to be.”

Nova nodded as Noctis handed her the final paper, “Local Hero wins affection of our Sword & Savior: the people's Princess” her blue eyes looked up to meet with Nyx's own, a content smile spreading across her face as she saw his lopsided one. “The Gazette is the only one with their shit together.”

Nyx was getting ready to answer before the door to the study swung open, Regis entering at a leisurely pace with a soft smile appearing at the sight before him.

“My apologies for the delay, but I was waiting for our final guest to arrive" Regis said with a light laugh.

Nova and Noctis looked to each other in confusion, Christmas had only ever consisted of them and their father. Nyx was the first exception for as long as they could remember, let alone an additional person added to that incredibly short list.

Behind Regis a woman with long dark grey hair that was tied to the side in a myriad of braids entered the room, her soft features beaming with joy as her piercing blue eyes landed on the man sitting in front of the fire.

Nova instantly sat up at the sight, shocked but her heart leaping with joy at the sight. Nyx sprung to his feet and crossed the room in the blink of an eye, embracing woman in his arms.

“Ma! What are you doing here?” Nyx excitedly asked as his mother laughed and returned his hug.

Theia's eyes quickly darted to Regis as she pulled away from her son with a soft smile, Nyx followed her glance to the king.

Regis gave a slight shrug and a warm smile at the grateful look gave him from the mother and son, “family is what makes the holidays so important” he said, looking over to his own children with a loving smile and full heart.

The combination of the Ulric and Lucis Caelum families provided both sides with a more lively and joyous energy than either of them had experienced in a long time.  
Theia easily chatted with Regis while Nyx and Noctis eagerly bonded over their love of fishing with Nyx telling the prince about the Galahdian ways of net fishing.

Nova sat back and took in the conversations happening around her, it was in watching those interactions that made Nova thankful that she had heeded Nyx's words in having spent her time with friends and family over the previous weeks.

Each of them were going to come with Nova in the precious moments she cherished in her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kind of feel like I need to apologize for this chapter I've had it written for a few days now but I've been incredibly hesitant to post it, just because it felt too much like a filler to me and I found it slightly difficult to get behind. 
> 
> Unfortunately I wasn't sure where else to take it given what is in store for the next chapter since I felt it needed some kind of buffer ahead of time. 
> 
> The next one is going to be our first time jump to bring us closer to the Kingsglaive timeline with heavy doses of fluff thrown in!


	26. The Hero & The Sword

_“She's a badass with a good heart,_  
_Soft but strong._  
_Unapologetic and honest._  
_She's the type of woman you go to war beside,_  
_The type of woman you marry.”_  
_-R.h. Sin_

 

For over three years Nyx and Nova had traveled all across Lucis and back again in search of the royal arms from previous monarchs.

They had gone from the hustle and bustle of the Crown City to the leisurely relaxed pace of Lestallum, from the dry, dusty, and barren desert plains to damp, mucky, and humid swampy marshes, open sandy beaches to dense thick forests.

The two of them had experienced the icy chill of a glacial grotto that froze them to their bones in Cleigne to the sweltering heat that radiated from the meteor crater that melted them to their core in Duscae.

The couple had journeyed far beneath the ground, to where daemons lurked in an endless stream of numbers in the dark abyss of the deep hell.

Now they were to do the opposite, traveling to the soaring heights of the Rock of Ravatogh, the looming volcano one of the most magnificent sights the Lucian countryside had to offer.

Nova and Nyx were in the process of only packing the necessities they required for the trip from their small shared home.

Nyx and Nova had come and gone from Insomnia so frequently that they had secretly bought an old-dated townhouse in Lestallum, allowing them to have a home away from home whenever they traveled near that side of Lucis.

It allowed them to have their own private haven and sanctuary, a place that no one besides them knew existed. It was nothing impressive nor lavish, the outdoor siding looked decrepit and weathered, a deceiving face to the rustic charm of the interior.

Solid hardwood floors ran throughout the two story townhouse, the staircase handcrafted with the artisanal flair of a master craftsman while exposed wooden beams lined the ceilings and brick ran along the shared walls of the townhouses located on either side.

They had decorated the humble abode with an assortment of Galahdian folk art and pictures of Nyx and Nova with each other and their families and friends. Nova had crystallized some of the technology from Insomnia to bring with them in order to have some luxuries of the Crown City at their disposal. The modest furniture from Lestallum, purchased from an elderly craftsman in the lively market.

Nyx would bring Nova flowers or plants almost every time he ventured through the marketplace alone. The fresh floral scent wafting throughout the small space gave a homey and pleasant atmosphere, while their rooftop patio could rival the Galahdian rainforest with the lush greenery they had arranged around their wicker outdoor furniture.

It was a cozy space for them to call their own, hidden away in a nook of the bustling marketplace from the prying eyes of both the Citadel and the Empire.

The citizens of Lestallum had grown accustomed to seeing the Royal Princess and Sword and her Kingsglaive boyfriend roaming their sweltering and narrow streets.

Where once the couple had instilled a level of curiosity and apprehension, now it was replaced with respect and appreciation of their presence and contributions to their close-knit community.

The locals holding Nyx and Nova in the highest regard had unofficially decided to maintain their secrecy of their residence in the small city.

During their on again-off again trip around Lucis, they had missed friend’s birthday’s and milestones, celebrations and holidays. Nova had not been there when Gladio earned a wicked scar across his face in defending Noctis. She had missed her brother turning into a young adult as his 20th birthday event had come and gone.

Nyx had missed the funerals for a few of his fellow comrades in the Kingsglaive, the guilt of not being in battle with them heavily weighing on his conscience. He had even shared Nova's guilt in being absent as they visited Gladio in the hospital, returning a day to late to deflect the blow that had threatened to steal the vision of the young Shield.

For everything the two of them had missed however, they had shared wonderful memories and experiences with each other, their love and dedication for each other being allowed to grow and blossom into a steadfast devotion for one another.

Nyx had learned the depths of Nova's soul, he knew her secrets, hopes and fears as though they were his own. He knew of the dread she kept locked in the far recesses of her heart of failing at her duties and of not being adequate enough.

Nyx build her up with every failure she had felt she had experienced, allowing her a safe refuge in his arms from the warring emotions she would feel bubble inside her.

Nova had done the same with Nyx, she had exposed and guided him in mending the vulnerable nerve of his being that was the post-traumatic stress Nyx had attempted to keep hidden from the world and himself.

Nova had assisted him in tackling his disorder head-on instead of the constant avoidance he had previously done. Her fingers would run through his hair and whisper sweet nothings in his ear with each panic attack or intrusive memories and nightmares that would plague him and shake him to his very core.

They both shared the same hope and dream, to one day be free of the heavy shackles of their responsibilities and duties that weighed them each down, drowning them from the freedom they so desperately craved.

For the war against the Empire to end, each of them agreeing they would forfeit their roles and titles at the Citadel and abandon that life in search of a new one together in Galahd.

Home was no longer a place, but a person for both Nyx and Nova. It was in their shared affectionate smiles and thoughtful gestures, the loving embraces and lingering touches, even in the hearty laughs and the heartbreaking sobs that racked through their bodies.

Nyx had come to learn he was just as happy having a night out with Nova as he was if they did not leave the house. They could party the night away in Lestallum or lay quietly under the stars of the desert and equally enjoy his time spent with her.

From strolling through the hectic and energetic marketplace for the ripest produce and freshest meats to standing back-to-back as hordes of enemies barreled in on them as he thought they were staring death in the face, Nyx cherished and reveled in every moment of it.

Nova felt like she could conquer any and all daemons that prowled through the night, plaguing the darkest corners of Eos or even her own personal one’s that would periodically slink it’s tentacles around the fibers of her being. As long as Nyx was by her side, Nova had felt fearless and invincible.

Nyx's presence became the rock beneath her feet she needed to stay grounded and feel secure, yet his words and actions gave her the wings she required to dare reach for greater heights.

Nyx was equally as amazed with Nova as he was terrified by her, with what Nova could accomplish when her back was against the wall, she was in a league all of her own that was a lethal force to be reckoned with.

A sublime blend of chaos and beauty, ethereal yet savage, an elegant dance between gentle and fierce ran through her veins and soul.

And yet she showed nothing but compassion and a warm heart when they strolled the streets of Lestallum, amazing and entertaining the neighborhood children with her small displays of magic or helping the elderly get around the marketplace with a soft and pleasant smile on her face the entire time.

Nyx had become more than just a friend or boyfriend to Nova, he was her closest confidant, her protector, an idol and mentor. She admired his constant resilience and resolve in the face of adversity, maintaining a positive outlook and laid back attitude.

Nyx was the light to get her through the moments when it had felt the walls were closing in around them as they trudged through an underbelly of a daemon infested hell or she struggled with her own internal anxieties and turmoil.

Now they prepared for their final journey around Lucis to collect the last remaining royal arm that was not in Imperial territory, they had postponed for as long as possible in order to have some semblance of a normal life.

Regis and Cor did not care how much time they spent on the outside of the Crown City Wall, so long as one of them checked in from time to time to report their general whereabouts and safety.

Cor, although he would never admit it, had looked forward to Nova's weekly calls, his surrogate daughter eagerly recalling all of her accomplishments and lessons learned in the field with the skills he had imbued in her. The Immortal would intentively listen with an easy smirk on his face the entire time.

As for Regis, he had wanted Nova to live her life and make memories away from the barriers Insomnia had enclosed around her, as he had done with his companions when he was younger. To forge an unbreakable bond with Nyx with their shared experiences and memories.

Nova crystallized the supply of curatives that laid across their wooden hand-carved coffee table in their cozy bright living room while Nyx was in their small bedroom on the upper level of the townhouse, packing both of them clothes for the hike up Ravatogh.

A lopsided grin gingerly spread across his face as he tucked away the final item he would need for their journey in the inside pocket of his leather jacket.

“Just about set Princess?” Nyx asked as he strolled down the creaking staircase that lead directly in to the living room, joining Nova on the cushy couch as he placed the small duffle bag in front of her to add to her collection of items waiting to be crystallized.

Nova nodded in response as the remaining supplies were dismissed from their sight, “good to go" she replied enthusiastically, jumping to her feet to grab her own leather jacket from the coat hook.

Nyx and Nova walked hand-in-hand through the crowded muggy streets, the heat of Lestallum no longer bothering either of them, having acclimated long ago to the constant sticky feeling that engulfed the city.

“You pack any booze for the trip?” Nova casually asked as they passed their local liquor store in the market.

Nyx let out a genuine snort, wrapping his arm around her shoulder’s to pull her close to him, “is that even a real question Princess?”

Nova laughed as she snaked her own arm around Nyx’s waist, leaning in to his embrace, “I honestly don't even know why I would have doubted you on that.”

“I'm hurt Princess, I thought you knew me better than that" Nyx teased, earning a playful jab in the ribs and laugh from the woman under his arm.

“Might have to just reconsider this whole relationship then" Nova retorted with a playful smirk.

“I don't even know who you are anymore" Nyx joked, placing a soft kiss to the top of Nova's head as they meandered through the congested alleyways.

They reached the parking lot of the city, each mounting their respective motorcycles as they pulled their helmets over their heads.

Cindy had long ago souped up both bikes to the point of no return, having been installed with the best the Crown City had to offer in the hands of the most qualified mechanic Lucis had ever known.

With a quick wink to Nyx, Nova shut the tinted visor of her helmet as they each revved their motorcycle, speeding down the Lestallum strip in a dark flash of black.

They each expertly weaved their bikes through the bright countryside and between the unhurried pace set out in front of them by the vehicles out for a casual drive. They rotated in leading and falling back, allowing each of them to set the pace at some point during their drive.

It was early afternoon when they reached Verinas Mart at the base of the volcano, the breeze that enveloped the area came right down from the mountain, the molten lava heating the air to an almost suffocating temperature.

Nova pulled in to the small outpost, quickly killing the engine as Nyx rode up beside her, “We’ll have lunch here and then head out?”

Nyx gave her a lopsided grin once his face had been freed from the confines of his helmet, “after you Princess" motioning for Nova to pick one of the white plastic tables at the tiny outdoor restaurant.

They each ordered the smoked behemoth shank in an attempt to raise their stamina and endurance for the daunting climb ahead of them. Both of them sat with their back’s to the outpost in order to look at the towering mountain of Ravatogh as they ate.

“How long do you think it'll take us to get to the tomb?” Nova mumbled in between bites of her steak, the tender meat almost melting in her mouth at the rich buttery taste and texture.

Nyx hummed as he thought, chewing his own meal slowly as he contemplated the question as well as to savor each bite of the juicy meat, “well, your dad said it's practically at the top, so I would say we're looking at least a day, maybe two.”

Nova nodded in response, “I can already feel my legs burning just looking at that damn thing. I bet the view will be unreal though.”

Nyx looked at her with a stern expression as he nodded in agreement, “yeah, you definitely won't be able to walk tomorrow, but it's not going to be because of that hike" he threw her a wink and a crooked grin for good measure.

Nova quirked an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she leaned back in the plastic chair, “big words for someone your age, old man Nyx.”

“Just another reason for you to call me Daddy tonight.”

Nova could only shake her head in response and bring a hand up to her face as she groaned underneath it, “for the love of the Six Nyx, I am not calling you that.”

Nyx roared with laughter, the unimpressed look Nova attempted to cast at him did nothing to help him stop as he saw the corners of her mouth twitch and her eyes peaked through her fingers, betraying her with a gaze of affection.

“Fine. I’ll hike up behind you, that way I can catch you if you slip and then I can appreciate my own view on the way up" Nyx said with a suggestive eyebrow raise and his roguish lopsided grin.

Nova gave him a playful yet unimpressed look before cracking a soft smile, “I expect nothing else from you at this point babe.”

Nyx gave a slight one shoulder shrug in response, “I need to keep an eye on my Princess’s backside" he said with a wink and and a hearty chuckle. 

With a slight sigh she stood from her seat, “let's get this shitshow on the road, shall we?”

They drove their motorcycles as far up the volcano as they could possibly manage in order to cut as much time off their hike as they could, leaving them parked at a potentially dangerous angle at the beginning of the mountain trail.

The air grew more stifling and thick with each step they took, the distinct smell of rotting and decay was heavy and thick as the sulfur bubbling up from the lava permeated the hot and humid air.

The trail began to ascend in to an impossibly steep incline, each footstep growing more strained as Nyx and Nova continued their painstakingly slow climb to the top.

The battles they faced against reapertails and a few spiracorns did them no favors in preserving their stamina, Nova taking the bulk of the fights with her Gods given prowess assisting her to deal with the enemies quickly.

They trekked on as the blazing sun beat down upon them and the heat of the volcano bubbled beneath them, keeping their heads down and putting one painful foot in front of the other.

Nova and Nyx graciously took breaks at the few flat surfaces they came across on their never-ending upward climb. Leg muscles screamed in protest, threatening to cramp up during the short moments of reprieve they allowed themselves to have.

“This fucking sucks" Nova heaved as she attempted to catch her breath in the heavy and hot air during one of their breaks, frustration and defeated wrecking havoc in her mind.

Nova laid on her back on top of a hard flat boulder they had come across as she raised her legs against the mountain side, attempting to relieve the pressure and aches in her swollen feet and return proper blood circulation in her legs in order to prevent further muscle cramps.

Nyx sat beside her with his back against the rock her feet were stretching up, throwing his shoes to the side so he could rub the soles of his blisteringly and almost bleeding feet.

The late afternoon sun beat down on them, sweat rolling from his brow and on to his cheek and jawline, practically sizzling as it dropped to the ground beside him before immediately drying up, the ground beneath them starved from any moisture.

“We’re almost there my star, we should hit the haven in another hour or two" Nyx replied optimistically, knowing the pain and suffering he was currently experiencing would be worth what await at the top.

Nyx pulled his sweat drenched t-shirt over his head to give him a bit of solace from the heat, a sigh of relief leaving him as the wet garment no longer stuck to his skin.

Nyx did not dare allow his ice magic to flow through his veins, even though it would give him the reprieve he so desperately craved out of fear it would eat up all of his remaining stamina and render him useless for the rest of the hike.

“Hour or two, got it. Totally doable if I don't die right here and now” Nova groaned deeply as she shifted her legs to stretch the muscles to cease the growing spasms coursing through them.

“At least we're going to go together, kind of tragically romantic when you think about it” Nyx miserably laughed as he worked out an especially bad knot in his calf.

Two bottles crystallized in Nova's grasp, she weakly placed one in Nyx's lap while placing the other between her breasts, followed by her rolling it across her forehead and back of her neck.

Nyx gulped from the frigid bottle, the freezing water soothing his painfully dry and parched throat before pouring the remainder over his head and bare chest, temporarily alleviating his heat stricken body as the icy droplets rolled across his scarred torso and dripped down his scruffy face.

Nova watched the scene beside her, chugging her own water with an unquenchable thirst at the sight of her ruggedly handsome boyfriend who was suddenly looking even more irresistible, “damn babe, if I didn't need to conserve my strength and energy, I would have my way with you right here and now.”

Nyx let out a genuine laugh, facing Nova just in time to see her pointing her phone at him, a mischievous grin spread across her face as he quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Gods your handsome Nyx" Nova adoringly said as she looked at the photo she had just taken.

The sun highlighted the taut lean muscles across his tan torso and arms, the water drops and sweat mixing to give his body a glistening sheen that accentuated his physique even more. However it was the easy going lopsided smile that spread wide across his face as he looked directly towards the camera, the loving tenderness in his eyes that truly pulled at Nova's heartstrings, knowing that she was the cause of the beaming expression of affection that was plastered across his scruffy chiseled features.

“Keep that photo as a reminder for when we hit the haven, might give you some extra incentive to power through this hike” Nyx laughed as he took Nova's phone to look at it himself.

“Don't worry babe, that's about to be my new background photo" Nova laughed in return as he handed her back the device.

The short rest had regenerated them with a renewed vigor in their step as they tackled the mountain again. A long stretch of sand beneath their feet had caused them a great deal of grief, for every step they took forward it had felt like they slid back three in return as the unsteady footing of the incline showed them no mercy.

Nyx had been correct in his assessment of the terrain, after a few hours of multiple twists and turns on the path, scaling the rocky walls of the volcanic cliffs, they had finally reached the welcoming flat surface of the haven.

The pair of them immediately collapsed on to the inviting level ground beneath them, their legs aching and shaking from the strained effort of pushing their bodies to the limit.

The air was thinner and more crisp on the raised plateau, the smell of burning sulfur far below them, allowing Nyx and Nova to breathe a literal breath of fresh air as dusk fell around them.

“I think that's good enough for one day" Nova groaned as she sat up when the sky was bright with the dancing stars above them and the moon soothing their souls from the trials of the day.

“I couldn't agree with you more Princess, I don't think I could go any further even if I wanted to” Nyx replied, equally defeated as Nova crystallized their sleeping bags, passing them to him to get set up.

Nova grilled them a simple meal of hot dogs and hamburgers, it might have been quick and easy but it was the most satisfying thing they could have had as they sat by the campfire sipping on beer while they nursed their throbbing legs.

“We should get up before sunrise tomorrow, it might be a good idea to get ahead of the heat if we can" Nyx suggested as they cuddled in their large shared sleeping bag.

Nova was snuggled in to him, mindlessly tracing patterns across his chest while she listened to the steady beat of his heart. Nyx laid on his back, appreciating the moment as he stared up at the vast expanse of stars above them, rubbing circles across Nova’s back while she used his arm as a pillow.

“That makes sense, can't promise my body will agree with that in the morning though" Nova lazily yawned in to the crook of Nyx’s neck.

Nyx hummed thoughtfully in response before replying, “then let's rest for the day and go later in the afternoon when it starts to cool off.”

Nova gave a slight nod in agreement before the exhaustion of the day dug it’s claws in to her, sleep taking hold of her body and mind as Nyx ran his fingers through her soft and tangled hair.

“Sleep well my star, tomorrow is going to be a big day" Nyx whispered as he placed his lips against her woven locks, kissing her head as he closed his own eyes and fell in to the peaceful oblivion of his dreams.

The pair of them had slept longer than intended, the sun was high in the sky before either of them had acquired the energy or motivation to leave the cozy quarters of their sleeping bag.

A hanging bluff above them had provided the couple with shade and shelter from the direct light and heat of the scorching sun, allowing them to sleep away the morning and the early part of the afternoon.

If it Nyx did not have a grumbling stomach and the sensation of being lightheaded from the lack of food in his system, he gladly would have spent the day in Nova's embrace.

Reluctantly he stood and stretched his battered legs, the muscles and tendons felt like snapping and pulling with his every movement as Nyx hobbled to the camp stove to prepare food.

Nova had proven to be in a better state when she rose not long after him, easily stretching the tight ligaments and cracking her inactive bones.

“You're getting old babe, not as spry as you used to be" Nova teasingly said as she tested the strength of her legs with a few lunges.

Nyx threw her a pointed look and scoffed at her statement, “I just turned 32 last week, I’m only just beginning to hit my peak now Princess.”

“So it's all downhill from here then is what your saying?” Nova chuckled as Nyx deliberately threw a berry at her.

Nova walked over to stand behind Nyx, wrapping her arms around his waist to place light kisses between his shoulder blades, “don't worry, I’ll still adore you in your old age.”

“Seven years isn't a huge age difference Princess, you'll be old with me in no time" Nyx snorted as he continued his preparations for their meal despite Nova's attempt to distract him.

“Seven and a half" she mumbled in to his back in between kisses.

Nyx laughed and shook his head, “right, seven and a half.. cause that makes a huge difference, Princess.”

They ate the meal Nyx cooked for them and left the haven as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky as dusk approached. The trail heading away from the campsite was more sympathetic towards their trek, a downhill decline a nice change of pace after all the climbing they had done the previous day.

It was not until they reached the other side of a suspiciously large landing on the mountain that they would have to once again embark on an uphill hike, the confined space giving way to the vast open skies of the Lucian landscape.

It was not a far journey up the remaining trail to the tomb, Nova and Nyx kept their head down to power through their final steps in Nova’s acquisition of the Mace of the Fierce.

Once the weapon had been claimed, Nova flopped on to the royal tombs steps, watching as the sun set in the distant horizon, where all of Lucis was spread out before her, miles of open sky and nothing by the scenic landscape stretching as far as the eye could see.

Nyx sat a step behind her, draping his arms over her shoulder’s as he rested his chin on top of her head. They took in the beauty of the vibrant sunset, the view from the top of Ravatogh being just as magnificent as Nova had anticipated it to be.

A wave of contentment rolled through Nova, her heart happy and full as she appreciated the scenery in front of her and the affectionate embrace from behind her.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you, my star?” Nyx quietly whispered in to Nova's hair as he placed a kiss along her braided crown and golden headpiece.

Nova hummed happily in response, “maybe once or twice, but tell me again" came her expected reply, it had become their own special saying between the two of them, an endearing statement used when they each felt especially grateful and caring towards the other.

Nyx pulled Nova’s hair back to expose her neck, allowing him to place delicate kisses from his chapped lips on the soft and sensitive skin as he softly spoke in her ear.

His stubble gently grazed and tickled her vulnerable flesh, sending a yearning shiver down her spine while she hummed in appreciation at the contact.

“I love you more than anything my star” Nyx said his customary reply while he slowly stood from behind Nova, walking to stand in front of her as he reached a hand out for her to take, pulling Nova up to stand with him.

Nyx brushed a stray piece of hair away from Nova's fair features with his rough calloused fingers to gently tuck behind her ear, a lopsided grin spreading across his features as she gave him an affectionate smile, nothing but love burning in her eyes as she looked at him.

The tender and loving expression Nova gave him was the grounding force Nyx had needed to calm his anxious nerves and to give him the strength he required to follow through on his plan.

“I loved you from the day I first saw your drive and passion in your wild and wandering soul” Nyx’s hand tenderly cupped her face, Nova leaned in to the soft touch.

“I loved you from the moment I first held you in my arms after you had threatened to kick down my down because you thought I had died” the rough calloused pad of his thumb rubbing soft circles along her cheek, Nyx could not help but let out a soft chuckle at the distant memory.

“I love that you made me become the best possible version of myself, too strive to be a better man for you and for me. I love that you unconditionally pick me up when I fall, and build me back up in to the man you deserve and the man you see in me when I lose my way” his free hand grasping her own to pull Nova closer to him.

“I loved you yesterday, I love you today and I will love you tomorrow. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life, a life I want to share with you. It’s always been you my star, there's nothing I've ever been more sure of in my life.”

Nyx let go of Nova's hand that he had been holding as he dropped to one knee, the passion in his eyes burning brighter than the vibrant sunset that painted the sky behind him, the lopsided grin on his face softer than the breeze that blew through Nova's hair.

“Nova Lucis Caelum-" both of Nova's hands flew to her face as she attempted to contain the gasp and sobs that wanted to flow free, her heart beating a mile a minute in shock and anticipation with each word Nyx said.

Tears began to well up along the rims of her crystal blue eyes and threatened to spill over her cheeks as a small velvet box appeared on display in Nyx's hands.

“I want to ask you to go on one final journey with me, the biggest one yet. Will you marry me?”

Nova collapsed to her knees on the hard marble steps, the pain that shot through them was nothing in comparison to the pure happiness that was rushing through her.

She threw her arms around Nyx’s neck, her tears of joy finally escaping their confines as she allowed her emotions to take control of her body, a rolling wave of excitement and a joyous bliss crashed in to every fiber of her being as Nyx gladly returned her embrace.

“Yes, of course I will Nyx! I love you too, I always have and I always will. I absolutely want to marry you, you fucking sappy romantic" Nova said with a laugh between the sobs that heaved from her chest. A large smile stretched across her face, lighting up her brilliant eyes that were lined red with tears as she looked to the man in front of her.

Nyx had a wide lopsided grin on his own face as he breathed out a deep sigh of relief, tears faintly lined his own steel blue eyes as his heart soared and filled with excitement and ease that Nova had agreed to be his wife.

Nyx laughed with her as he finally opened the small velvet box in his grasp that had been weighing him down with apprehension their entire trip, he could hardly comprehend how such a tiny item had caused him such immense anxiety.

A beautiful rose gold ring sat on the soft cushion, a large oval black diamond sparkled in the middle of the ring as the waning daylight danced across the facets of the jewel. Smaller black diamonds wrapped around the two bands that held the main gem in place.

“Nyx, it's beautiful" Nova said in a breathy response as Nyx picked up the ring, holding her visibly shaking hand in his own steady one as he carefully slid it on to her ring finger.

“It's no more beautiful than you are my star" Nyx earnestly replied, his hand gently brushed away the tears that rolled down her face with his thumb and a tender smile before resting on the scar beneath her chin.

Nova closed the small distance between them, her lips crashed in to his with the full weight and force of her love for him behind it, Nyx had eagerly met her passion with his own as he fervently returned the kiss, his hand finding a firm grasp in her hair.

When Nyx and Nova finally pulled away from one another, they rested their foreheads against one another, enjoying a surreal and tender moment.

Nyx held another small item in his hand, this one a velvet bag in place of a box. Nova gave him a curious look as he dumped the contents out in to the palm of his hand, two black beads being emptied from the pouch.

“One of the Galahdian traditions when a couple gets engaged is to give beads, one for each of us to wear, I got you the ring since that's the custom in the Crown City. I’d be honored if you wore the symbolic bead and new braid my star" Nyx said proudly as Nova picked up the gem, getting a closer look at the gem.

With a smile she returned her gaze to Nyx, “of course I will Nyx, is this a black diamond as well?” she asked, placing the bead back in Nyx’s hand before he sat behind her again, pulling her hair behind her back to add a new braid to her collection, this one representing their engagement.

“Yeah, I obviously had to get a matching set. Can't have my Princess looking ragged ” Nyx chuckled as his fingers deftly wove her hair in to place, the black diamond bead resting over her left shoulder when he was finished, dangling near her heart.

“You said one of the Galahdian traditions was to give beads, does that mean there's more?” Nova thoughtfully asked as she looked from the ring on her now stable hand to the bead in her hair with pure joy, a permanent smile rooted across her face.

Nyx stood in front of her again, having already tied his own bead in to his hair, matching Nova's perfectly. He pulled Nova up to her feet with him once more as he wrapped an arm over her shoulder to lead them off the volcano.

“There is but that's something that'll have to wait until we get back to Lestallum, I'm going to get a tattoo around my calf, I absolutely do not expect you to do the same though my star” Nyx sternly yet tenderly said as they made their descent along the mountain side.

“A tattoo of what? And why? What does it represent?” Nova asked with genuine curiosity, these were the customs of the a culture she was marrying in to and she was determined to know everything she could about it.

“A solid black line, like the ones I already have. It's done as a reminder to stay grounded in our marriage and to honor the never-ending bond and love we’ll share in our life together" Nyx said with an affectionate smile as he pulled her closer to him, placing a kiss in her soft hair.

Nova thoughtfully nodded at the words, humming in understanding at the commitment it represented to her and to their future together.

“I want to get it as well" Nova said determinedly, she held no reservations in her mind about her unwavering loyalty to Nyx and was more than willing to permanently display that on her skin.

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at her, “you sure Princess? I absolutely understand and don't expect you to, especially since you don't already have any tattoos" he said hesitantly, however Nyx’s eyes betrayed the longing he had that Nova would do him that honor, a Galahdian badge of her devotion to him.

An easy smile rested on her full lips as she nodded, “Positive. I couldn't have a more important meaning behind my first tattoo than that" Nova said with a light laugh.

“Gods, you make me the happiest man in all of Eos” Nyx said with a laugh as he scoped Nova in to his arms, nibbling on her neck while she squealed with delighted laughter.

“And you make me the happiest woman in Eos, Nyx Ulric, my dear fiancé”.

When Nyx allowed Nova to wiggle free of his clutches, he had a beaming lopsided grin stretching from ear-to-ear, “I can't wait to call you my wife, my star. Now, let’s get off this damn volcano and go celebrate" he said with a wink as he pulled her down the trail by her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I refuse to apologize for any of this fluff, this may have been my favorite chapter to write yet!!
> 
> From day one I had always planned on Nyx proposing on top of Ravatogh, so I hope it came off as believable with their progression as a couple, I wasn't totally confident on a good time-jump strategy but just wrote what felt right.  
> 🖤🖤🖤
> 
> For anyone searching for some additional Nyx&Nova content, go check out my other fic Follow the Stars which takes place directly between this chapter and the next one!


	27. The Sword & The Hero

_“Darling, you are all I ever wanted love to be.”_  
_-e.s._

 

When Nova and Nyx returned to the Crown City, it was with an extra bounce in their step, despite the tenderness around their calves of the freshly matching hand-poked ink, their smiles were lighthearted and their eyes were wide and bright on life. 

For once in their years together, they were genuinely happy to return to the chaotic concrete jungle that was Insomnia.

Nova had made plans with Gladiolus and the boys for dinner that evening while Nyx had easily persuaded Libertus, Crowe, and Pelna in to a night of drinking, each of them telling their friends it was under the guise of catching up. 

Before that however, they were to meet with the King and the Marshal, one last mission report before starting their new assignments.

They each easily walked through the marble halls of the Citadel, Nyx’s arm casually resting across Nova's shoulders while he she wrapped hers around his waist. 

The congested crowds parted before them as a sea of eyes watched their graceful strides, Nova walked with the poise and confidence of a leader, as the royalty she was. Nyx walked with a proud self-assurance, the questioning looks he received unfazed the man completely for a change. 

Nova knocked once on the large door of her father's private study, the call to come in rang out as she was already in the process of appearing in the entrance. 

Regis and Cor sat across from one another, each of them on a separate couch with a rocks glass of amber liquid in their hands. Nova had not been expecting a third person to be sat with them, but was pleasantly surprised by the guest nonetheless. 

Noctis gave her a slight smirk as his cerulean blue eyes lit up from under the mop of dark bangs at Nova’s entrance, he stood from his seat beside their father to pull Nova in to a tight hug when she drew near.

“Heya Novie, Nyx" Noctis said as he pulled away from his sister, giving Nyx a solid pat on the arm which the older man enthusiastically returned. 

“Baby brother, what are you doing here?” Nova asked while she gave a smile and nod to Regis and Cor. 

Noctis merely shrugged as he resumed his comfortable sitting position beside the king, while Nyx sat beside the Prince and Nova sat with Cor. 

“Dad said that there was important information I needed to hear but had to wait until our final guests arrived, I guess that meant you.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow at her father and then to Cor, as the Marshal stood, retrieving three other glasses filled with the same colored liquid as those in the older men’s grasp. 

“We're here to celebrate and congratulate you on your apparent news” Cor said with an almost smirk and a slight snort, raising a glass once everyone had been given one.

Regis lightly laughed at the confused and bewildered expression on Nova’s face as she stared at the Marshal, “my dear daughter, did you really think Nyx asked for your hand in marriage without first receiving my blessing?”

Nova’s eyes went wild in realization as she looked to Nyx across from her, he gave her a sheepish smile and wink while Noctis threw an arm over Nyx’s shoulder, giving the older man an excited shake.

“I always wanted a brother" Noct easily laughed, especially when his sister gave him a pointed yet soft look across the room.  
Nyx returned the younger man's embrace with a hearty laugh of his own, “guess we’re both getting what we always wanted, Princeling.”

Noctis dramatically rolled his eyes, “you two are honestly so disgustingly sweet, it makes me want to puke in my mouth.”

Despite his words, Nova could clearly tell her brother had been nothing but pleased and satisfied with Nyx’s words, an approving smirk across Noct's face and the fact he had yet to remove his arm from around Nyx made it apparent how happy he was for the new addition to their small family. 

Regis raised his own glass, immediately followed by the others in the room as the king spoke, “to Nova, I could not be more proud of the fine woman who have grown in to, your mother would be proud. Nyx, I'm trusting in you to stand by my daughter through all of life's obstacles, welcome to the family, son.”

Nova and Nyx only had their friends left to inform of their upcoming nuptials after leaving the impromptu celebration with Regis, Noctis and Cor, feeling a bit more lighthearted and giddy than when they had arrived, the scotch had only heightened those feelings even more. 

Nyx had already called his mother with the announcement after he had properly commemorated the occasion with Nova back at Ravatogh, leaving only his dysfunctional group of ragtag friends he was joining at their usual haunt of Yamachang’s in the Galahdian District. 

Crowe had practically tackled Nyx from across the table at the news, instantly wrapping her friend in a tight squeeze after she had punched him in the arm for not telling her the moment it happened. Libertus had done the same, only his punch was a bit harder and his hug a lot stronger. Pelna had merely given him a solid slap on the back with an added eager embrace. 

“It's about God’s damn time, Ulric. I have been waiting literal _years_ for this” Crowe huffed with an additional solid punch to Nyx's bicep.

Nyx could not help but roll his eyes in response, giving the woman a pointed look “you're the one who convinced me I had to wait.”

Crowe shot him a wicked glare, pushing a finger in his chest as she looked up to him, not even a bit intimidated by their substantial height difference. 

“I told you not to propose after three weeks together, you fucking psychopath. You’ve been carrying around that fucking ring for three years, _three-gods-damn-fucking-years_ Ulric!”

Nyx have a slight sheepish grin and a one shoulder grin, causing Crowe to sigh and stomp over to the bar.

Originally Nyx had planned on proposing to Nova their first Christmas together, but when Crowe had got wind of the plan she had called him a raging fucking lunatic and had strongly worded that he wait until they had been together for at least a few months. 

Those additional weeks of waiting trickled in to an extra few months, with those months turning in to a year, and eventually it becoming multiple years. The timing had never felt right to Nyx, his initial plan was build from an impulsive urge but the more time had passed the more thought he had given it, the stronger his desire became to give Nova the perfect engagement proposal that she deserved.

Libertus and Pelna were roaring with laughter from the ever feisty brunettes altercation with the Hero. “She's got you there Nyx, we all thought we’d be good and dead before you finally followed through" Pelna choked out between his laughing heaves. 

“Typically Galahdian, not a single sense of time or urgency in his body" Libertus added as he finally managed to reel in his howls.

“Nova better make me her maid of honor, I called dibs on that shit forever ago, like, back when you two were just creepily obsessed with each other" Crowe eagerly said as she bounced back from the bar, carrying a tray that held a concerning amount of shots in her hands. 

“Nothing's really changed there" Libertus commented, earning a roar of laughter from Crowe as she smacked him on the back after she had set down the alcohol, Nyx giving his best friend a unamused glance.

Turning his attention back to the woman, Nyx gave Crowe a sheepish grin as he took his share of the liquor she passed to him, “yeah, so about that.." he began hesitantly, promptly earning a vicious scowl from her.

Nyx laughed at the thoroughly unimpressed expression on Crowe’s face, “you're going to be in the wedding, but I was kind of hoping you'd stand in on my side. I mean, I have taken an actual bullet for you after all.”

Her death stare immediately changed in to a smug and approving smile that spread across her face, “Hey, that was your choice to make there Ulric, but, I'll be the best damn Grooms-Woman Eos has ever seen" Crowe said while raising one of the shot glasses, clearly pleased with the request.

Nyx gave her an appreciative nod and crooked smile, turning his attention to Pelna with a raised eyebrow, “Pelna, what about you?”

Pelna broke out in to a toothy smile and gave a prompt nod, “I got you covered.”

Nyx looked across the table to a smirking Libertus, expectantly waiting the question he already knew his Galahdian brother was about to ask, “Lib, will you be my Best Man?”

“Thought you'd never ask brother.”

* * *

 

“Does that mean I'll get to plan your bachelorette party?”

Nova laughed at the roguish grin her best friend gave her, “technically, yeah. I guess you would.”

Amber orbs glowed with life at the response, a pleased look spreading across his features, “then hell yeah I'll be your Man of Honor”

Gladio replied enthusiastically as he threw his arm over Nova's shoulder in the booth they were sharing, pulling her in to his chest. 

Nova looked over to her brother sitting across from her, a smirk across his face as he nodded in approval, Noctis having already agreed to stand with his sister as well. 

“Ignis, I could also use someone who is actually responsible and organized in my wedding party, if you're up for it.”

“Hey!” Gladio and Noctis grumbled in unison, both with folded arms and furrowed brows at the slight jab.

The other three chuckled while Ignis straightened his glasses, a genuine smile spread across his face as he was clearly quite pleased with the prospect, “I would be honored my dear, just let me know of any assistance you may require.”

Nova turned her attention to the man sitting beside Noctis, an excited yet disappointed expression battled across his freckled face,

“Prompto, I was hoping you'd be our photographer for the ceremony and then you can enjoy the reception after. We only want close friends and family in attendance for the actual wedding.”

His blue eyes grew wider than what seemed humanly possible as they took on a violet tinge from shock, “I'd do anything for you! Wait, no! Ahh.. I mean.. I.. would do.. that for.. you..”

Prompto’s face turned from a soft pink to a blazing crimson as he stuttered over his words, his desperate attempts to back track in vain as the men around him roared with laughter. 

"Oh Prom, you're so innocently adorable and sweet" Nova said with a soft chuckle and threw the blubbering mess of a blonde a wink.

Prompto immediately sinking in to his seat as he hid his face behind his hands as his embarrassment ate him alive. 

“I'm just going to go die now."

"This is what you get for having a crush on Novie for so long" Noctis smugly smirked as he howled with laughter as he heard his best friend praying for Titan to open the ground beneath him and put him out of his misery.

* * *

 

News of the impending royal wedding had spread like wildfire throughout the Citadel and soon, the entire Crown City. The media frenzy of the news flooded the city with constant coverage and speculated updates about the highly anticipated event. 

Not only was it the talk of Insomnia, but it soon became the main topic of discussion for the engaged couple. 

“Why do we need to choose a type of fabric for dinner napkins? Is that something people even care about?” Nova groaned as she dropped her head in to her hands.

Nyx sat beside her on the sectional couch, drowning in a sea of fabric samples that were scattered around him, “Well, do we know what colors we want? Some of these are limited in their color selection.”

“Black for sure.”

“Obviously, and?”

Nova sighed in frustration, completely overwhelmed in the decisions and planning she was required to make for their wedding. 

Nyx being the ever calm, collected, and easy- going man he was, pushed the assortment of cloth samples aside, scooping Nova up from the couch and throwing her over his shoulder. 

Nova could not help but laugh as she bounced on to her bed, Nyx immediately on top of her assaulting her with soft bites and tender kisses. 

When he was satisfied that Nova had overcome her moment of irritation, Nyx pulled her on top of him to rub circles in her back to calm her mind. 

“Why don't we just hire a wedding planner my star? You shouldn't put so much stress on yourself" Nyx softly said as Nova listened to the sweet melody of the steady and strong beat of his heart.

Nova let out a small sigh but nodded in agreement, “I wanted to be the one to plan our wedding, but honestly I don't even care about half of the stuff I need to make decisions on. There's so much shit involved for a royal event.”

Nyx hummed in understanding as he continued his tender touches down Nova's spine, “it would be so much easier if we just eloped" he said with a half laugh.

Nova laughed with him but she could not help but let her mind wander at the notion. Her crystal blue eyes looking up to meet his grey blue ones, “yeah it would, we could go get married in a simple ceremony on Galahd.”

“With the sunset on the horizon and the soft crashing waves beside us.”

“We'd have a fire on the beach after, just the two of us.”

“Just us and the stars.”

“Wouldn't have to worry about napkin material there.”

“Fuck the napkins.”

Nova and Nyx each burst out with laughter, an amused smile on either of their faces when they affectionately looked back at each other. 

A mischievous smile begin to curl around Nova's lips as she looked up to Nyx, the man knowing full well that either she had the most brilliant idea or nothing good was about to come from whatever was taking hold in her mind. 

“I’m going to hire a wedding planner first thing in the morning" she said thoughtfully and slowly, Nyx could practically hear the wheels turning in her mind as he nodded.

“Good plan, my star" he replied softly, waiting for Nova to continue her thought. 

“And we should elope to Galahd.”

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at his fiancé, a confused look clearly painted on his face while he expectantly waited for Nova to elaborate on her statement. 

Nova laughed when she realized Nyx did not understand what she was alluding to, she sat up to straddle the man so she could see him better in order to judge his reaction from what she was about to propose.

“We’ll hire a wedding planner for the Royal Wedding in Insomnia but by that point we’ll already be married from eloping to Galahd” Nova explained with a sly and excited grin. 

Nyx did not even hesitate to consider her plan, having already known when he saw Nova's scheming expression that he would give in to whatever impulsive idea she was plotting.

“Will you run away and elope with me, my star?”

* * *

 

A wedding planner took charge of their large formal ceremony and reception preparations that had been scheduled to take place in just a few short months, leaving Nova and Nyx a limited window of opportunity to arrange their getaway from the Crown City. 

Their ruse came in the form of Nova requesting a leave for them both to travel to Galahd in order to hand deliver the wedding invitation to Nyx’s mother, Theia. Regis, being the family man he was, had immediately approved of the proposition without a second thought. 

Nyx and Nova had each spoken separately to Theia, who was in charge of arranging the private ceremony and recruiting the local Elder in the community to perform the clandestine union between them.

Theia had further explained some of the Galahdian traditions for weddings to Nova, such as proper attire, the dress cutting and of the traditional tattoo after their vows that was done in lieu of rings.

“What is the tattoo of? Where does it go? What color should my dress be?”

Nova had what felt like hundreds of questions to bombard Nyx or Theia with, but both of the Ulric's had been nothing but patient and understanding in her large list of inquiries.

With their departure date in only a few short days, Nova knew that she would not be able to openly shop for an appropriate wedding dress in the Galahdian district without drawing immense attention from the gossip starved reporters on the streets, so she enlisted the help of two people she knew would take the secret of her elopement plans with Nyx to the grave. 

“You know, I don't know if I'm proud or pissed about you guys sneaking off and saying fuck tradition or not" Crowe snorted as she flopped on to Nova's couch, awaiting the word for her to begin the shopping excursion.

“While I must admit, I don't particularly enjoy the secretive nature of this arrangement, I am glad to see that you are doing something that makes you happy for once" Ignis added while he meticulously took Nova's measurements in the living room to her apartment. 

“I agree with old spectacles there. Where has this rebellious Nova been hiding all my life?”

Nova rolled her eyes with limps outstretched, allowing her brother’s advisor to get close and personal with her body, “trying to stay away from your bad influences.”

“Hey now, if you listened to my suggestions from the beginning you would have been with Nyx years before you actually were. You're just too damn stubborn for your own good.” 

Ignis had given a slight chuckle at Crowe’s huffing statement, earning a warning glare from Nova, a look which he blatantly ignored with a smirk.

“I think it's a Lucis Caelum family trait, her brother is no better at heeding sage advice.”

Crowe roared with laughter and Ignis continued his soft chuckle, even Nova had to snort at the advisors statement since he was not necessarily wrong in his assessment.

The duo had gone from Nova's apartment to the Galahdian district and back again in record time, returning with an oversized garment bag in tow. Having easily secured the dress with the measurements Ignis had taken and in the color Nova had requested.

Crowe and Ignis had picked up a flowy convertible wrap dress that was long enough to skim across the floor, it allowed Nova to choose her own style for the big day.

“Think he'll like it?” Nova timidly asked, for once in her life feeling highly insecure in herself from wearing such a bright color.

“You look un-fucking-real! Nyx'll love you in whatever you wear or don't wear.. actually, he probably loves you more when you don't wear anything, but that's besides the point" Crowe said with a hearty laugh, slapping Ignis in the arm to get a reaction from the man.

Yet again to Nova's surprise, Ignis mildly snorted at the older woman, slightly adjusting his perfectly straight glasses before addressing Nova. “You look beautiful my dear, and I’m sure Nyx will appreciate your elegance as well as your efforts in embracing his culture.”

Nova gave them each an appreciative nod and smile, shimmying out of the dress in order to crystallize before Nyx had the opportunity to spot it. 

When the day of their trip came, Nyx and Nova flew down the Crown City highways at the break of dawn, they were to arrive to their destination by early afternoon and married at dusk, their wedding day was a chaotic whirlwind, but neither of them would have it any other way. 

Nova could not stop smiling as the islands of Galahd came in to view, the warm tropical breeze filling her heart with a sense of peace and calm as the lolling waves casually brought the ferry closer to the shores. 

Nyx stood behind her with a matching eager expression, his arms wrapped around her waist as he placed kisses in Nova's soft hair, “sure you’re up for this, Princess?”

She turned in his arms to face him, draping her arms over his shoulders as their foreheads gently rested together, “never been more sure of anything in my life" Nova replied with genuine sincerity.

“You are my life, my star" Nyx softly whispered as his lips gently brushed again Nova's. 

The islands still held the easy-going and relaxed atmosphere that had initially captivated Nova's heart. There was no rushing, hustling, or bustling in Galahd, the tropical isles ran on their own time and so did its people. 

But, with only a weekend to spare, Nova and Nyx had reluctantly become the only people on Galahd in a rush, with no other choice, they both sped down the winding road that lead to the Ulric residence.

Theia was sitting on the covered wooden patio when they arrived, a bright smile on her face and an excited glimmer to her steel blue eyes. 

“My wayward son and my regal soon-to-be daughter, you two are a sight for sore eyes" the older woman said in her soft and pleasant voice, as melodic as the sea.

“Hey Ma, sorry it's been a minute, but I can't thank you enough for doing this" Nyx embraced his mother with genuine enthusiasm and a beaming lopsided grin.

Theia gave an easy laugh and smile, “I would never deny my son, who I thought was going to die alone, the opportunity to marry the only woman in Eos with a strong enough willpower to handle your unruly ways.”

“Ma, I swear, you are honestly so dramatic" Nyx replied with a forced huff and nothing but a permanent lopsided grin on his face.

Nova took her turn in hugging the woman as well, “and Nova, I could not be more happy or proud that you found your other half in my son. I guess I did a decent job with raising him if he snagged a Gods sent of a woman like yourself.”

Theia and Nova shared a soft chuckle when they parted, “I think it's more like I'm the lucky one for getting him. It’s only because he was raised by such a strong and independent woman that he was able to deal with me” she replied earnestly, meaning every word as Nyx gave her an approving wink and smile. 

Mid-afternoon was already rapidly approaching and with it the clock was ticking to finalize all of the last minute necessities for the ceremony and for themselves. 

“Princess, you stay here with Ma while I go speak to the Elder and get everything ready” Nyx told Nova after they finished a light lunch Theia had made them. 

“Are you sure? I can help, I don't want to leave it all up to you" she replied, already in the process of standing and walking to the door with Nyx. 

“Princess, we both know I'm not letting you lift a finger on your wedding day" Nyx said with a soft chuckle, his body and arm blocking the open doorway he stood in.

Nova gave him a dramatic eye roll, “It's your wedding day too, Nyx" she said with a slight huff, however, she was mostly bark and no bite when she saw that ruggedly handsome lopsided smile spread across his scruffy face. 

“Exactly, and with my Gods given power as groom, I'm ordering my Princess to relax and be pampered for the day.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow at the man, a sly smirk beginning to form on her face as she crossed her arms, leaning her weight back to one leg. 

“You order me, huh?”

Nyx threw her a roguish grin and a wink, “yup, I'm ordering you to relax. I know how much you like it when I take charge, so if you sit back for the day, maybe I'll take more control tonight after we’re married.”

“Deal. You play your cards right babe, and maybe I'll finally call you Daddy" the prospect of that and the sultry look Nova had given Nyx was enough to light a fire under his ass and have him sprinting out the door to complete his errands before the ceremony. 

Nova legitimately had no idea to what to expect, she had left the details and organizing in Nyx's capable hands much the same as she had with the wedding planner in Insomnia. 

At the end of the day, all either of them truly cared about was beginning this next chapter of their life together. 

Nova sat on the patio's wooden planks by Theia's leg as she was on a bench behind her, delicately braiding the younger women's hair while Nova watched the gentle waves lap at the white sandy beaches. 

“So I have to ask, this spur of the moment wedding doesn't have to do with any grand-babies on the way, does it?” Theia softly asked as her nails massaged in to Nova's scalp.

The younger woman gave a half-laugh and shook her head as much as she could with Theia holding her head and hair in place, “no, no babies. I'm honestly not even sure I’ll ever have kids, can't exactly give up the oaths I've sworn to the Crown as easily as a man could. The Shield could knock up all of Insomnia and not take any time off from their duties and responsibilities. But as a woman and Sword, I don't exactly have that luxury.”

Nova could feel Theia’s fingers briefly hesitate in her hair before resuming their careful and slow weaving. Nova could feel a tight pit forming in her belly, afraid that the admission had angered or disappointed the woman, Nova had essentially declared that the Ulric bloodline was to die with Nyx instead of being passed along to any potential children. 

Theia hummed in thought before letting out a small sigh, “it isn't easy being a woman in power but with a life that isn't your own, is it?”

Nova had to restrain herself from the partial snort that threatened to come from her, instead letting out a large sigh in it’s place, “it isn't ideal, but it's the cards I've been given.

Nyx has been incredibly supportive, we agreed that if the war ever ended and my family no longer needed my services, we’d run away and never look back.”

“Then let's pray your father can end this war sooner rather than later. Life is too short to fight in someone else's battles.”

Nova vaguely hummed in agreement to those words, no matter how much they resonated with her soul. However, Nova's hands were shackled in the chains that were her loyalty, allegiance, and commitments to the Crown, her family. 

She knew when the time came for Noctis to be king, he would gladly dismiss Nova from her duties if she asked, the problem was that she knew that was a request she would never have the heart to ask.

Theia helped Nova tie herself in to the flowing fabric that was to be her Galahdian wedding dress after her hair had been completed. Nova's nerves began to get the better of her with every glance she took of herself in the mirror she stood in front of.

Nova’s anxiety had only continued to build and was flaring up in full swing with each step she took away from the Ulric residence and down the length of the sandy beach. Her heart was thudding viciously in her chest, her breathing was almost becoming labored from the sheer panic and apprehension that was building in side her.

Theia’s firm yet gentle arm locked through Nova's own gave the younger woman an anchor to tunnel her attention on as they walked the slight distance they needed to go.

Nova focused on the warmth that still radiated from the sand between her bare toes, the breeze that was just beginning to chill with the setting sun that gently tickled her face. 

Nova’s attention was soon brought to the torches that lit a path to the soft waves that crashed against the shore and to an altar made from driftwood, decorated with the bright native Galahdian flowers, her heart beat was loud in her ears and strong in her chest as she took in the details.

For a brief moment, Nova thought she could not breath. Her chest was tight and her dress suddenly felt incredibly restricting, a shaking nervousness shot down her spine and the cool breeze now felt sweltering hot as she began to feel lightheaded. 

Nova's heartrate began to slow down in to a calm and steady beat, her apprehension melting away as her focus was only drawn to a handsome lopsided grin and lively grey blue eyes that were burning brighter than the sunset behind them. 

Nyx was waiting for her in front of the humble altar in his Kingsglaive attire, bare foot in the sand with his pants rolled to his ankle while the ocean waters lapped at his feet.

An eager and enthusiastic crooked smile lit up Nyx’s face as he watched Nova walk towards him with his mother in tow, her golden headpiece resting on top of her hair that had been delicately braided to the side and falling over her shoulder, the black diamond bead glistened in the last remaining rays of light over her heart.

The purple fabric of her flowing dress was a stark contrast to her fair skin and dark braids as it highlighted the curves of her body, a long slit rose up the left side, exposing her toned leg that held her tattooed Galahdian badge of engagement around her calf.

Nyx gave Nova a lopsided smile and a wink, immediately grasping her hand to hold in his own, her touch calmed his own soul and grounded him, as though he had been a man lost at sea that had finally found land again. 

“I thought you would have worn black, my star" Nyx softly said as he brought Nova's hand to his mouth, gently placing a kiss to her engagement ring. 

She gave a slight shrug and smirk, “I was going to, until Theia told me how it's Galahdian tradition for the husband to wear a piece of his wife's wedding dress on their battle armor. Didn't exactly want you going to war with a color that represents death and evil in your culture, which I kind of feel like is a shot at my family, by the way..” Nova said hesitantly with a slight laugh.

Nyx let out a hearty laugh, dispelling whatever insecurities and anxieties he had also felt inside him, “I think it has more to do with the daemons in the night than your family, Princess. The color is perfect and so are you, my star.”

Nyx’s heart swelled with pride at Nova embracing his culture so wholeheartedly, he nodded in approval at her color choice. Placing a hand on her hip he leaned in the kiss Nova's forehead, the small affection gesture was the final touch Nova had needed to feel at ease again. 

When Nova was with Nyx, she felt free in a world that only wanted to cage her.

Purple in Galahd was the marriage between red and blue, of passion and stability, wisdom and power, love and trust. It meant a beautiful combination of ambition, determination, and confidence. Nyx could not have chosen a color that more accurately represented his Nova, a color that he would be more than happy and proud to display on his battle attire.

The ceremony itself was short, Theia stood to the side as a witness while the Elder said a few words before continuing on to a wedding prayer to the Astral’s, asking them to bless the couples union. 

“May Titan grant you his strong tenacity to preserve you through the challenges of marriage. May Ramuh grant you his infinite wisdom in navigating your joined path through life. May Shiva grant you her kind gentleness in your love for one another. May Leviathan grant you her fierce temper in the protection of each other. May Ifrit grant you the relentless passion of lovers as husband and wife. May Astrea grant you her righteous justice in those who would threaten your union. And may Bahamut bestow upon you his blessing of a long and happy marriage.”

Nyx's calloused, battle-worn hand cupped Nova's soft face as he spoke his vows to her, his deep husky voice just barely above a whisper against the soft waves rippling at their feet. 

“Nova Lucis Caelum, I give you my heart. I promise that from today and for the rest of our lives, you will never walk alone. I will stand by you, my heart is your shelter, and my arms are your home.”

Nova leaned in to his affectionate touch, placing her hand on Nyx’s chest over his heart as she spoke her own vows to him with all the conviction she felt within her own heart.

“Nyx Ulric, I give you my heart. I promise to encourage, cherish and care for you for our remaining days. You are my love and my life, today and always.”

Nova's soft lips were pulled in to Nyx’s at the Elders proclamation of them being husband and wife. The kiss was strong and passionate, conveying their longing desire to be united, a relief and weight lifted from both of their shoulders. 

When they parted, it was with large smiles and to the joyous congratulations from Theia and the Elder, even the sun had lingered on the horizon long enough to witness their union, dipping below the ocean surface as they proceeded with the traditional dress cutting.

A piece from the base of Nova’s dress was gently cut away in to a large strip, her slightly trembling hands tied it on to a metal ring of Nyx’s armor behind his firm right shoulder, it was to be a reminder for when he was in battle about what he was fighting for.

The final piece of the ceremony was done by the tattooing of crow's feet on each of them. The crow an omen of change and destiny in Galahdian culture, a symbol of devotion and loyalty as the birds mate for life. 

Nova had decided to have the symbol inked on her finger just above her engagement ring, sitting as though it were a delicate crown to the black diamond that rested there. Nyx opted to have his on full display, resting on the top of his high cheekbone to proudly show the world that the former Galahdian bachelor had found his lifelong mate.

The final piece of the Galahdian rituals was to wrap a lava rock in the leaf of a local fern, placing it at the spot of their union as a memento and reminder of the birthplace of their marriage.

Their own personal beacon on the sandy shores where they committed their lives to one another. 

With their newest matching tattoos and the Galahdian wedding ceremony complete Nyx swooped Nova off her feet with a lopsided grin and a wink to Theia and the Elder. 

“We can't thank you enough for all this. But if you'll excuse us, we have a marriage to go consummate now.”

Nova did not even have time to add her gratitude to Theia or the Elder before Nyx was warping down the beach with her in his arms in a flash of blue on the darkening landscape.

When they finally came to a standstill, it was on a grassy raised plateau overlooking the calm ocean from under a covering of palm trees and stars that were lighting up the evening sky. Behind them was a quaint wooden cottage, overlooking the beach, ocean and rainforest from the higher ground. 

Nyx had clearly intentionally brought Nova to this spot, a Galahdian print blanket was laid out in front of them with a fully stacked fire pit, a cooler and picnic basket on either corner of the fabric. 

“Nyx, you hopeless romantic. Your cheesiness will never cease to amaze me" Nova said with a laugh, but her smile and eyes betrayed how much she truly appreciated the efforts Nyx put in to these intimate moments. 

“What can I say, you just have that effect on me, my star" he replied, lighting the large pile of wood aflame with the assistance of his magical abilities.

Nyx easily flopped on to the blanket, patting the empty space beside him as he reached in to the cooler, producing a bottle of champagne and two chilled glasses

Nova eagerly accepted his offer, curling in to his open arm and chest as he handed her a full glass of the bubbly liquid. Nyx wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in to his lap as he placed a kiss to her hair. 

“I'm glad we eloped, today was perfect. Thank you Nyx” Nova hummed appreciatively as she leaned back on to Nyx's chest, her eyes fixed to the crackling wood in front of her and the peaceful sound of the crashing waves below them. 

“The days not done yet my star” Nyx's hot breath said in her ear as he gently nibbled on her neck, his stubble tickling the sensitive skin. 

Nova leaned in to Nyx's embrace and softly moaned when his teeth grazed just behind her ear. 

“Right, you mentioned something about consummating our marriage?” Nova hummed as Nyx’s hands began to explore her body, his rough fingers brushing against her skin as he found openings in her dress. 

“Mhmm, with the stars as our witness. Then in the shower, again in the bed.”

“Might as well add the couch and countertop in there.”

“And maybe the beach in the morning.”

Nova let out an especially lewd moan as Nyx’s fingers began to tease her already wet core, “whatever you say, Daddy” she said in a breathy response.

Nyx paused his strokes long enough to flip Nova on to her back, pinning her under his weight as a primal growl and desire roared through his chest and throat, his kisses becoming a little bit rougher, his bites a little stronger.

Nova had clearly and quickly realized what a massive turn-on that was for her now husband, who was currently in the process of ripping her dress away to ravage her in a mixture of kisses and bites as he marked his territory of Nova's body. 

Despite the primal instinct to claim his mate, Nyx had been nothing but passionate, gentle and tender in his movements and words. Nyx had made Nova feel nothing but his undying love and affection as he thrust in to her with a sense of fulfillment at finally being complete. Yet strong and hard enough to convey his longing desire that he craved her and wanted nothing more than to please her and be as close as possible. 

Nyx had not lied when he said the stars would be the witness to the consummation of their marriage. They got lost in each other's embrace under the moonlit sky, the blazing fire beside kept away the chill bite of the ocean breeze while their skin burned with desire at the affection at the lustful touches and kisses they placed on one another. 

Wrapped in each other's limbs, their moans drowning out the nearby sound of the ocean waves, their bodies and souls melding in to one another.

A rogue shooting star flashed across the sky had gone unnoticed by the pair who was drunk on love and lust in each other's clutches, an unknown blessing from an unseen Astral pleased with their marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm obviously blatantly in love with these two and I know how starved the Nyx's fans are for some loving, so GOOD NEWS! I'm going to start another side story that will document the 3 years they spent traveling Lucis, it'll probably be just unfiltered fluff #sorrynotsorry so keep an eye out for that soon!  
> Also, BAD NEWS! I'm going on vacation for a few weeks in a couple days so updates will be a bit slower for the next little bit. Also, the next chapter will bring us to the beginning of the Kingsglaive events, so brace yourselves!


	28. Kingsglaive Pt. I

_“She was always wild but he had made her free.”_  
_-Atticus_

 

The weekend away to Galahd had gone by in the blink of an eye, no sooner had Nyx and Nova arrived to the islands as a happily engaged pair before leaving as an ecstatic married couple. However their life, responsibilities, and duties to the Crown City demanded their immediate attention and pulled them back down to reality from the clouds they had felt as though they walked on.

The day after their eloped wedding, Nyx and Nova merely reveled in one another's company and in each other's grasp, long kisses were spent in the warm sea tides, carefree laughs and smiles on the balmy sandy shores, intimate and lingering embraces in between the sheets of their bed.

They were drunk on wine and love, intoxicated by the taste of one another. The kisses and touches between them were like a drug they could not get enough of, that they never wanted to stop getting enough of.

Every time Nova looked to Nyx she saw the reminder proudly and boldly written across his tanned rugged face that Nyx Ulric was hers, and with a glance to her ring finger to see the black diamond ring and the tiny crows foot tattoo, Nova knew she was his.

The man she had admired and been infatuated with since the age of sixteen when he had been assigned to train her proper warping techniques, the man who had become a close and dear friend to her as the years progressed.

He was the man who knew the desires of her heart, secrets to her soul, and the map of her body like no other person in all of Eos, and now Nyx Ulric was her husband.

Nyx’s heart threatened to explode with every glance he took of Nova, of how her crystal blue eyes reminded him of the Galahdian ocean waters, how the sweet citrus and coconut that clung to her long dark hair smelled of home, and her smile was the brilliant beacon that always guided his heart and soul.

A giddy feeling fluttered in his stomach when he thought back to the night on her couch back when they had first began dating four years prior. He remembered when he had joked about one day making Nova his Galahdian Princess, and now she laid in front of him as just that.

Nova's long dark locks were braided back in to the Ulric family crown with the newest addition resting over her heart with a black diamond bead tied to the end, the bracelet Nyx had custom made from the stones of the island rested on her wrist, and now her two tattoos for their engagement and now their marriage marked her body in a way he never could.

Nyx genuinely could not believe that he had succeeded in making Nova a daughter of the tropical isles and mostly importantly his wife.  
The only thing Nyx's heart craved now was a family with Nova, he knew that vision was a pipedream with their current roles and responsibilities, it had been a discussion that crushed him but one he could not disagree with given the dangers of their jobs.

That did not stop Nyx from the thoughts and fantasies that plagued him every time she was on top or underneath of him, of how beautiful pregnancy would look on Nova, how incredible of a mother she would be to his children.

If Nova happened to become pregnant from them being reckless with their prevention of it, Nyx would not lose any sleep on the matter.

They had no desire to return to the Crown City, already counting down the remaining months until their formal royal wedding and to their planned honeymoon back to Galahd following it.

With their return to Insomnia it concluded the assignments they had been given in travelling through Lucis, which meant Nyx was no longer needed as Nova's escort on a daily basis.

Nyx was immediately dispatched back to the Kingsglaive on a regular rotation between guard duty and deployment, much to the displeasure of Drautos who had been thoroughly enjoying the many years of his authority not being questioned.

Nova was to finally assume her position at her father's side as Sword to the Crown, she was to attend council meetings or to infiltrate Imperial strongholds, whatever Regis deemed fit for her position and prowess at any given time.

“Nyx Ulric, you sly fucking dog.”

Libertus gave his best friend a solid and strong punch to the shoulder with a beaming smile as he noticed and instantly understood the meaning behind the tiny crow's foot tattooed on Nyx’s cheek, tiny enough to go unnoticed with a quick glance.

Nyx gave his largest and most genuine lopsided grin in return with an easy laugh as his heart soared with pride, he had held no doubts Libertus would understand the fresh ink on his return to the Kingsglaive and was relieved his best friend was not holding it against him.

“Yeah, no one knows and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Nyx gave a laugh as he nervously and quickly glanced around the Kingsglaive training compound, Tredd and Luche were the closest to them but they could give less of a damn about Libertus and Nyx's conversation.

All the glaives were awaiting for Drautos on a debriefing of their next deployment, rumors had trickled in that they were to immediately leave, giving Nyx a sinking feeling that he was about to be sent out without first saying goodbye to Nova.

“No one knows what?”

“That Nyx and Nov’s eloped.”

Nyx whipped his head around to Libertus, his steel grey eyes wide with disbelief as they were sharp and cold, stabbing daggers in to the man with his stare. Crowe stood beside him, a mischievous smirk and a slight shrug of her shoulders had Nyx’s gazed narrowed to the small woman.

“Yeah, I know. Who do you think picked up her wedding dress?”

“You?”

“Me. It's not like Nov's could just stroll around the city unnoticed with a Galahdian wedding dress.”

Nyx shook his head but slightly laughed in relief, he trusted Libertus and Crowe fully with his life in the glaive and was sure he could rely on them now with his and Nova’s secret, despite the fact Lib had just blurted it out to Crowe, but he honestly was not sure why he would have expected anything else from his best friend.

“Listen up the lot of you” Drautos strolled in to the compound with an air of command and a scrutinizing glance to the glaives who were quickly falling in to position at his entrance, the room rapidly falling silent as he stood in front them.

“Reports have been coming in of a heavily increased Imperial presence near Taelpar Crag in Duscae, which is a little too close for our King's comfort. We head out a dawn, so go home, rest up and meet back here first thing in the morning for further orders. Dismissed.”

Drautos swept out of the room as quickly as he had entered, leaving the Kingsglaive soldiers to their own devices with the remaining afternoon and evening off.

“So, obviously we're going drinking then?”  
Crowe eagerly asked the two men standing next to her with hard slaps on either of their backs. Libertus gave her a nod and enthusiastic smile in response while Nyx did the opposite.

“Sorry guys, I'm going to spend it with Nov's"  
Nyx did not know how long they would get deployed to the frontlines of yet another battle, but Gods be dammed that he was not about to dwindle away his last night home with his wife in a drunken stupor wrecking havoc on Little Galahd with Crowe and Libertus.

“Marriage has changed you Ulric, I don't even know who you are anymore" Crowe responded while she looped an arm around Libertus and hauled him away with a slight wave over her shoulder to Nyx.

“Try not to drink Insomnia dry.”

“We both know I don't make promises I can't keep.”

With that said, Crowe and Libertus were out of sight and out of Nyx's mind as he hastily weaved his way through the flocks of people crowding the Citadel hallways.

Nyx knew Nova was in council meetings all day by the king’s side, most likely discussing the very situation he was to be sent to first thing in the morning.

Nyx was confident that the dull monotony of endless conferences would dampen Nova's wild and free soul, she was a wanderer and a fighter who was not meant to be caged between four walls and behind a desk.

Darting in and out of stores on his way to Nova’s apartment, Nyx reached his destination long before her, immediately getting to work in the kitchen with his recent purchases.

* * *

 

Nova had spent her first, and so far only day, by her father's side in a constant heated debate with the elder members of the council, her arguments had only fallen on to deaf ears and had infuriated the woman to her very core.

Where the council had wanted to send in the Kingsglaive blind to the situation in Duscae with only half-confirmed reports, Nova had fought with them tooth-and-nail to get better protection and reconnaissance in place, she fought for the opportunity of finding out the details more thoroughly before lives were unnecessarily tossed to the wind because they had been hasty in their decision.

In return, they had accused her of being biased, of being an immigrant lover and supporter who was compromised in deciding what was best for the Crown City and its citizens, the instant they brought up what one member had coined as Nova's so called involvement with Nyx, Nova was out for blood as her vision blurred from anger and her teeth grinded as she restrained herself from lashing out.

If Regis had not been there to defuse the situation, Nova was certain she most likely would have been sent to the Insomnian Penitentiary instead of dismissed to Cor's office to assist with his paperwork.

A sharp and hard knock to the Marshal's door was the only warning Nova gave before walking in his office, earning only a questioning glance from the curious light blue eyes behind the wooden desk.

“Aren't you supposed to be at the King's side for the day?”

“I was kicked out for being too _spirited_. Dad told me to come help you with paperwork" Nova said with an agitated sigh as she flopped on to the seat across from Cor, ripping free the prisons her feet had been contained in and tossing the high heels aside.

The slightest twitch curled up around Cor's mouth, a quick flash of pride and respect burned behind his eyes as he sat back in his own seat with an intrigued look spreading across his usually unreadable face, the pile of paperwork in front of him swiftly taking the back burner.

“Care to elaborate?” Cor asked, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses appearing in his hands from the depths of his desk drawer.

Nova explained to Cor how her relationship with Nyx had tainted the council’s image of her, not that she had truly cared what they thought of her, but it left a bad taste in her mouth given how much she had dedicated to the Crown, to her family she would give her life.

When it came to sending soldiers out uninformed and unprepared, Nova had refused to yield to a bunch of old bureaucrats who had never seen a fight, let alone been outside of the Crown City limits.

Cor had not felt this proud of Nova since he watched her easily and gracefully defeated Clarus in the friendly sparring match with the entire Crownsguard and Kingsglaive in attendance.

“Go home, be with Ulric. Your father has no doubt dealt with anyone who would talk to his dear daughter in such a way. And if for some Gods forsaken reason he has only given them a warning, I will personally see to it that they realize any further transgressions will go through and be dealt with me.”

“But what about the paperwork?”

“Hardly your concern. I would wager the only reason Regis sent you here was as a jab to me that you have somehow inherited my lack of tact in political matters.”

Nova could not help but laugh, even Cor gave a slight chuckle at his observation, completely confident that had been his old friend’s true intentions.

Without a second thought Nova left the Citadel behind, she zipped down the congested roads on her motorcycle, attempting to leave her frustration of the day in her wake.

The moment the elevator opened its large steel doors to the top floor of her apartment building, Galahdian spices wafted in to Nova's nose and dispelled of any remaining lackluster feelings from her day that had eaten away at her.

Where she had just felt wearisome and dreary from the tedious day of arguing with the council members, she instantly revitalized and lively.

The smell of Galahdian food only meant one thing, which was that the only person who could brighten her mood and day was already waiting for her.

As soon as Nova opened her apartment door she was greeted with the intoxicatingly strong and potent smells of Galahd, the rich spiciness with the sweet undertones of citrus.

Most importantly however was Nyx in the middle of the kitchen in nothing but his old and tattered sweatpants with an easy lopsided grin on his face and an adoring look in his eyes.

Nova unconsciously let out a sigh of relief at the sight, falling in to an immediate comfortable and content state of mind in Nyx’s presence where she no longer needed to portray her royal façade.

Nyx quickly closed the distance between them, picking Nova up and throwing her over his arm and carrying her through the apartment with gentle bites to her thigh as a trail of her laughter and squeals floated behind him.

Throwing her on to the bed, Nyx wasted no time in joining her, pulling her on to his chest as Nova let out a content sigh and sunk in to his embrace as he ran his hand up and down her back.

Nova’s head rested on the wicked scar that spread across his chest from the couerl attack, her hand grazing lazily across the toned muscles of his abdomen and chest, idly tracing designs as she closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of his arms.

“How was your day my beautiful wife?”

“I ended up with Cor for the afternoon. So not terrible.”

Nyx looked down at Nova in his arms, a partially confused and curious look spread across his face as he quirked an eyebrow, waiting for her to further explain.

Nova softly laughed in return as she placed a gentle kiss on the stubble of his sharp jawline earning a handsome lopsided grin from the man.

“The council didn't like what I had to say about sending you and the rest of the glaive out tomorrow so Dad kicked me out and Cor took me in with some celebratory drinks, well, he drank and celebrated, I just sat with him.”

“And here I thought my Princess was going to have a hard day at the office and I would have to cheer her up" Nyx replied with a laugh as he removed Nova from his body and rose from the bed.

“I did and you are.”

“Sounds like Cor beat me to it though Princess. So, what exactly did you say to piss off the council and please the Immortal?”

Nova described the meeting to Nyx over dinner on her sectional couch, one of their favorite action movie’s playing on the TV that was being used more as background noise as they only briefly and occasionally glanced to the screen.

Nyx was equal parts impressed and proud of Nova as he was furious and disbelieving with the councils decision to easily dismiss her sound and reasonable advice while targeting her relationship with him.

He could care less what the crusty old members of the council thought of him, but using Nova's relationship with him against her had Nyx’s blood boiling with rage when he knew the sacrifices she was willing to make for those ungrateful men and women.

Nova was willing to lay her life on the line for those thankless people who could care less about her as a person and only her title. Nova was willing to give up starting her own with him so that those unappreciative people could go home to their own families at the end of the day.

Nyx was bloodthirsty and for once in his life was eager to be deployed in order to satisfy the primal desire in him to wreak havoc, the Empire was the perfect enemy for him to release his aggression on to.

_“…We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our commons interests. Perhaps-"_

Nyx snorted at the movie, the actor’s speech aptly appropriate to the his conversation with Nova. With a defeated sigh, he grabbed Nova's waist and pulled her into his lap.

“What will you do while I'm gone, my star?” he asked, running his fingers through her soft and luscious hair while she leaned back in to his chest, watching the film playing in front of them.

“Dad has me with him in the throne room all week. But mostly I'll just be missing you and waiting for you to come back to me, and you better come back Nyx.”

Nova turned in his lap to look at him with soft pleading eyes while her hands rested on his chest, it had been years since Nyx had been sent out beyond the wall without Nova and the worry was clearly written on her fair features and burned behind her blue eyes.

With a lopsided smile he found the scar that ran along her jawline with his finger as he tilted Nova's chin up to him, laying his forehead against her own.

“I've said it once and I'll say it again, it'll take more than an Imperial army to stop me from coming home when I know you'll be here waiting for me, my star.”

“Promise?” Nova asked hardly above a whisper, her voice delicate and fragile, her eyes scared and anxious.

“I promise I'll always come back to you Nov's.”

* * *

 

Nyx had long since departed when Nova's alarm disrupted her sleep. The cold and empty sheets were a foreign sensation that left her feeling anxious.

Nova twisted the Galahdian beaded bracelet around her wrist and prayed to Bahamut, Astrea and whatever Gods had invested an interest in her life that they would watch over Nyx in the battlefield.

She got ready for her day at the Citadel in a haze, Nova's mind preoccupied with thoughts of the glaive and her desire to be with them. Nova put on her heels with thoughts of the dusty earth of Duscae beneath her combat boots, pulled on her blazer with thoughts of the musky smell of her leather jacket with fresh sweat and blood clinging to it.

Nova could not remember the commute to the Citadel or navigating the marble corridors, standing at the doors to her father's private study left her unsettled and confused as she entered, shaking her head to clear the fog that clutter her brain.

“Good morning my dear daughter. I trust you’re ready for another invigorating day with the council" Regis chuckled lightly at Nova’s entrance, gathering his collection of papers from the table in front of him.

“Can't wait" Nova snorted with an eye roll, promptly earning an additional laugh from her father.

“Come, let us see how disagreeable the council members are today. I've been made aware a certain Marshal may have straightened out any feathers that had been ruffled with yesterdays meetings.”

With a knowing wink to his daughter, Regis made for the throne room with Nova by his side. The day progressed at an excruciatingly slow pace, Nova was distracted during most of the meetings.

Fiscal reports and infrastructure requests meant nothing to her, national defense funding peaked her interest slightly but that quickly gave way when it became apparent that the debate was not gaining any traction.

Her only moments of reprieve were the times a status report on the Kingsglaive was given to Regis beside her, Nova desperately clung to every word, scrutinizing the little details that trickled in every few hours.

When the meetings were over, Nova made for the only place in the Citadel where she could free herself of the agonizing worry that was chipping away at her nerves and consuming her thoughts.

Sweat trickled from her brow in to her eyes, it made her blouse cling to the curves and crevices of her body as Nova’s breath heaved as she exerted herself to her absolute limits.

Nova’s mind was clear while she went through her intricate training routine, focusing on the air entering and leaving her lungs, the weight of the blades in her hands and the hardwood floor beneath her bare feet.

“Hey baby girl, I haven't seen you around. Come here often?”

Nova chuckled and dramatically rolled her eyes as Gladiolus and his roguish grin came in to her line of view, he had a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and an unimpressed Noctis at his side.

“What are you wearing?”

Noctis gave his sister a criticizing once over from underneath his unruly dark bangs, clearly judging the business casual attire that Nova had obviously been training in and profusely sweating through.

“Little brother, you have no room to judge when you look like a hobo most days. Have either of you heard anything about the glaive?”

Nova’s heart dropped when both men shook their head, not that she was overly surprised, Nyx could be deployed for days or weeks without a word to the Citadel.

Summoning the kukri Nyx had gifted her with years ago, she sent it hurtling in to the wall across from her with all of the build up frustration she had behind it, a defeated sigh leaving her as it made a solid thud in to the wall.

“Ulric's fine Novie, Gods know the world has tried to kill him countless times.”

“He did walk away from that elder coeurl attack.”

“And don't forget he's the Almighty Hero of the Kingsglaive.”

Nova gave a soft smile to her brother and best friend, she genuinely appreciated their attempts at reassuring her, she knew they were both right but an unsettling pit stirred and lingered in her stomach, telling her something was going to happen.

“I'm going to go home and try to relax. You two have fun sparring” Nova said as she wiggled the kukri free, the blade had pierced through the wall and stuck to the handle of the dagger, taking a part of the drywall with it when Nova extracted it.

“Always do, I'll call you later Novie.”

“I won't. Love you Novie.”

“Love you too baby brother, and we'll chat after big guy.”

Sleep did not come easy for Nova that night as she tossed and turned, her mind restless and her body antsy. During one of the brief naps Nova had managed to succumb to, the sound of her phone ringing jolted her up, answering it immediately.

“Cor? What's going on? What's happened?”

“They're en route. Expected time of arrival is thirty minutes. There's been casualties but no confirmations as to who.”

Nova abruptly hung up on the Marshal, springing out of bed and changing in to the first clean and acceptable clothes she could get her hands on.

The sun had only barely risen, the pinks and purples of daybreak still lingered in the sky, the early morning left the Insomnian streets empty and bare as Nova pushed her motorcycle down the roads at reckless speeds.

Parking her bike in front of the Citadel steps, Nova anxiously paced while she waited for the Kingsglaive to arrive. When the line of unmarked vans pulled in to the front entrance, Nova could feel her heart pounding a mile a minute in anticipation.

The medic van was the first to arrive, a large stretcher carrying Libertus made Nova's blood run cold and a lump to form in the back of her throat. She knew Nyx always stayed near Libertus in battle, the fact he was hurt made the sensation of dread in Nova's stomach ache in to a stabbing pain.

“Sup Nov's. Didn't know I was important enough to get the royal welcoming party" Libertus said with a chuckle, grimacing as the stretcher shook from the pavement causing his braced leg to jump around.

“Lib, what happened? Are you okay? Nyx, is he-"

“Loverboy's fine, it'll take more than a couple of Nifs to keep him away from his wife you know” Libertus gave a hearty laugh at Nova's shocked and relieved expression before he was whisked away to the medical wing of the Citadel.

The moment Nyx stepped out of the glaive van, Nova was on top of him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist, lips locking on to his as Nyx clung to her and supported her weight in his arms.

“Where we these kind of greetings the last time I was deployed?” Nyx chuckled as he sat Nova back to the ground with a lopsided grin spreading across his tan and dirty features.

“We weren’t together back then" Nova laughed, looping her arm through his as they walked up the Citadel steps.

“What I would give to go back and tell my younger self to stop being an idiot and kiss you already.”

“We could have had an extra few months together.”

“I was thinking more like years.”

“You two are so sickly sweet I want to gag.”

Crowe hooked her arm around Nova’s other side, joining the couple as the Kingsglaive made for their compound.

“You say that but we both know you secretly love the fact we’re together” Nova laughed as Crowe shrugged with a smirk, not confirming or denying the statement.

“I thought you were supposed to be a good influence on him by the way. Ulric was up to his normal shit out there again this trip.”

Nova whipped her head to Nyx, narrowing her eyes at the half shrug, lopsided grin and wink he gave her in return.

“I disobeyed Drautos and now I'm in the doghouse.”

“Actually, he's guarding the doghouse.”

Nova shook her head with a sigh, she knew and trusted Nyx's judgment enough to know that whatever he had done in the field was the right thing to do, regardless of the consequences.

“I have to go report in with Dad, we'll talk about this after?” Nova asked Nyx, stopping at the intersection of the Kingsglaive compound and the Crownsguard quarters.

“I’ll call you after my shift, I love you more than anything my star.”

“I love you too Nyx."

“Get a fucking room already you mushy assholes.”

Sprinting through the Citadel corridors that were starting to fill with the early morning workers, Nova made it to the throne room during the Captain's debriefing to the king on the mission.

Silently creeping in to the room and beginning to close the large door behind her, a sudden force and hand on the opposite side kept the door jarred open as a man sprinted in behind her.

“Your Majesty, word from the west gate. A man claiming to be an envoy of the Empire requests an audience.”

“Bring him to me.”

Nova's eyes went wide in confusion as she looked to her father on his throne. Regis promptly dismissed Drautos from the room, allowing Nova the opportunity to take her place at the king's side.

“Why would the Empire send an envoy? Does it have to do with the Kingsglaive mission? Is it a trap?”

Regis gave a small smile to his daughter, she could see the wheels turning behind his green eyes as he considered her slew of questions.

“I honestly cannot say for certain. Stay close and stay on guard. We have no reason to trust the Empire after their retreat from battle last night.”

Nova followed her father's commands while the Imperial man casually strolled in to the throne room. His charisma and air of nonchalance in such a formal setting in front of the King of Lucis was somehow unnerving to her.

She could not put her finger on it immediately but there was something about Imperial Chancellor Izunia that did not sit well with Nova.

It took her a while to place it, but it was Ardyn's eyes that made her skin crawl and for the hair on her neck stand on end. Despite his alluring persona, his eyes were hallow and empty, there was no life behind them and it made Nova feel like she was staring into a dead and empty void.

The impending sickness of dread twisted her stomach in to knots that she could not shake nor explain.

“You can't just pawn Noct off as some kind of bargaining chip" Nova huffed as she paced the floors of her father's private study, her blood boiling at the prospect of her brother being used for political gain.

“What choice do we have? The Empire is offering peace and that is their terms” Regis sighed in defeat, just as upset about the arrangement as Nova.

“We can't give Noct to the Empire.”  
Nova picked up her phone and typed out a quick message to Nyx.

Me: Going to be late, something's come up.

“I have no intention of handing your brother over to the Empire’s control. He will wed Lunafreya on neutral ground, in Accordo, it’s a location the Empire controls but the territories allegiance lies with Lucis.”

Nova sank to the couch opposite her father, her worried blue eyes meeting his weary green ones, glancing at her phone when she felt the signature vibration on her lap.

Hero: Everything okay? Call me when you're done, I'll go out with Lib and the crew until then.

Me: Behave and be careful. I love you.

“I have a bad feeling about this. You can't send him alone to Accordo.”

“As do I. His Shield, Advisor and friend shall accompany him, I have no doubt they will be suitable companions. As for you-"

“I'm staying here.”

Regis raised an eyebrow at his daughter, the corner of his lip twitching in to the faintest of smiles given the heavy conversation.

Nova did not back down, her duty was to the throne, a title Noctis had not yet claimed. The closer the Empire was to Insomnia, the farther away Noctis would be from danger, she needed to be where his enemies were, not where he was.

“Very well, if that is your wish. We’ll discuss the truce further with the council in the morning, I have no doubts they will be outspoken on the matter.”

“They're not going to like it.”

“Nor do I, but these are the sacrifices that parents make to ensure their children have a chance of a better future. I pray one day you will know that joy and burden with Nyx.”

As if on cue, Nova’s phone vibrated again as Regis spoke about the man in question.

Hero: I love you too my star.

“Me too Dad" Nova replied with a small and sad smile.

Nova knew the unexpected development with the Empire was going to keep her late at the Citadel, going over the finer details with her father as they burned the midnight oil.

The night was late and the morning early when Nova returned to her apartment, mentally exhausted, eyes drowsy and yet her brain refused to calm. It ran wild with endless thoughts and possibilities of scenarios, all of which never ended good for the Lucian Kingdom.

Nyx was half naked and passed out in her bed, the smell of barbecue smoke and cheap booze clung to his hair and skin as Nova stripped and cuddled in next to him.

Unconsciously he pulled her in to his chest, even in his sleep Nyx was able to comfort Nova with the smallest of gestures.

She got lost in his warm embrace, sinking deeper in to the mattress as sleep sunk its sweet and merciful claws in to her.

Nyx's morning alarm came too quickly for Nova, the few hours of sleep had been a mere tease in comparison to what her mind and body desperately craved.

“Sorry my star, I didn't mean to wake you" Nyx’s voice rasped, heavy with sleep and parched from the beer he had consumed the previous night.

“It's fine. I should get ready, it's going to a long day” Nova groaned, as she sat up from underneath the piles of blankets that had snugly cocooned them both.

“What’s going on anyways, Princess? Luche mentioned an envoy from the Empire met with the council and your father. Then you work late, is everything okay?”

Nova looked to Nyx with a pained expression, it was one thing to talk to her father about Noctis being used as a pawn in the Empire’s scheme of peace. But to tell her husband that the his homeland and everything he had been fighting for the last decade was to be forfeited to the Imperial Army, the same army that murdered his sister.

Nova struggled to find the words, she headed for the kitchen, hoping caffeine would help her brain form the sentences her heart could not.

Nyx was patient as he waited for Nova's answer, the longer the silence continued the more concerned he grew. After a few sips of coffee, Nova gave him a sad and broken smile, her eyes glistening with tears that wanted to spill free.

He brought her in to his chest, one hand on the back of her head and the other on her back, rubbing small reassuring circles as her tears flowed on to his bare chest.

“Nyx, I'm so sorry. Dad doesn't have a choice, the Empire made wild demands for a peace treaty.”

“Hey, it's going to be okay Princess. A peace treaty is a good thing, right? That means no more fighting.”

Nova shook her head and slightly shrugged in Nyx’s embrace, “the price is to relinquish control of all territories outside of Insomnia to the Empire and for Noct to marry Luna.”

Nyx froze in place, slowly digesting the news Nova had given him as she continued her sobs in his chest. It only took a moment for him to resume the slow and steady motions of his hand on her back.

“It's a tough call to make, but Regis made a good choice. It's the right thing to do.”

“But.. You're home, Galahd, your sister.”

“Nov's, sometimes doing the right thing for the greater good comes with a price. Galahd will be fine, I'll be fine, and we'll be fine. If anything, the end of the war means maybe we can finally start living our own lives, maybe start trying to have a family.”

Nova let out a choking laugh despite her tears at Nyx's charming lopsided grin and wink, the effect that his crooked smile had on her never ceased to warm her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I'm sorry for the extended hiatus but I'm back now and cracking down on hammering out some chapters!
> 
> Secondly, my original plan was to have the Kingsglaive events occur in a single chapter but it just was not realistic without cutting massive corners. So as of now it's looking like the movie will happen over the course of at least 3 chapters, potentially more depending on thorough I end up being. 
> 
> Pt. 2 is already 10 pages long and I won't post it until I have about the same amount of the following chapter written just in case I need to tweak certain things!


	29. Kingsglaive Pt. II

_“She was brave and strong and broken all at once.”_  
_-Anna Funder_

 

The council meeting had been tense, the members were equally divided on the best course of action concerning the proposed Niflhiem treaty and what it would mean in relation to the Lucian Kingdom.

Regis had made up his mind long before the morning debate, the dark circles that rested heavily beneath his weary green eyes spoke volumes to the fact that his decision had not come easily and not without a great deal of deliberation.

Nova dutifully sat in on the meeting at the request of Regis to appear as a united front on the matter. She sat in a high backed chair across the long stone table from her father as the council endlessly bickered in the seats filled between them.

Her gaze and attention to the surrounding members was cloudy and distant as she remained silent during the back-and-forth arguments, her heart heavy and uneasy with the impending verdict her father was to give.

Nova’s heart broke for her brother, who had learned his fate during the late hours during the previous night. Her heart broke for Nyx and the other Kingsglaive soldiers who had dedicated their lives, both literally and figuratively, in the effort of regaining their homes from the Imperial Army.

“Then let the choice be made your Majesty. What are we to protect?”

The words Clarus spoke to the king interrupted the bickering council, snapping Nova back in to the reality around her and to the conversation happening in front of her.

Nova's crystal blue eyes cleared as she focused their attention to her father across the long table, Regis gave the faintest of pained smiles as he looked to his daughter before addressing the question asked of him.

“We will protect the chance of a better future for our children and their children after them. I will sign the peace treaty and end this damned war, once and for all.”

An unsettling silence engulfed the room, heads were hung low, defeated sighs were released and tears were shed as the verdict was made. Nova gave her father the most reassuring smile she could muster, reminding herself of Nyx’s words from the previous night.

“Sometimes doing the right thing for the greater good comes with a price.”  
Nova desperately prayed to the Astrals that whatever the price, it would not be too steep.

Regis sent Nova to Cor’s office when the meeting had concluded. He may be willing to sign the deal Niflhiem had offered them with a warm smile and gratitude, but behind closed doors Regis was far too wary and suspicious of the Empire to take their deal at face value without a contingency plan in place.

“Dad wants you to organize an evacuation plan of the Crown City citizens in case things go south with the Empire" Nova told the Marshal, while she attempted to rub away the tension that was steadily building behind her eyes from the constant politics that was beginning to encompass her life.

“A wise choice. Knowing the Empire, it is best to be prepared for any and all scenarios” Cor replied, already hastily in the process of making notes regarding his plan.

“There’s not a doubt in my mind that this won't go well. I keep having this feeling in my gut tell me something bad is going to happen" Nova mumbled as she eagerly welcomed the stinging burn on her throat as she threw back her remaining drink.

“You have a warrior’s instinct and political reasoning on your side. Follow your intuition, it won't lead you astray.”

“My intuition is telling me not to trust this truce and definitely not to trust the Empire.”

Cor looked up from his notebook long enough to give Nova an approving half smirk, “good, we’re on the same page.”

* * *

 

Nova met with Nyx for a late lunch in the Citadel cafeteria, already thoroughly drained from the day and from the mixed stares of approval and disapproval that followed her every movement, her father's decision was making an impact on how she was being perceived by those in the Citadel.

“-obviously they're pissed about it. Tredd is too thick skulled for reasoning, and Luche, well he's just as big of an asshole as ever. They seem to have it in their head that this peace means we’ll get kicked out of Insomnia cause the glaives won't be needed anymore” Nyx grumbled as he mindlessly poked the food around on his plate, his head leaning on one hand as he miserably looked across to Nova who snorted at his words and the absurd thoughts of the others.

“How did Crowe and Lib take the news?”

Nyx gave a weak grin and a one shoulder shrug before he responded, pushing away his hardly touched meal as he dropped his head in his hands with a defeated sigh.

“Crowe's a realist, she may not agree with the decision but she saw the benefits behind it. As for Lib..”

“He's pissed?”

“I think pissed would be putting it mildly Princess.”

Nova sighed and rubbed her hands over her face, the pressure and tension that was forming behind her eyes and throughout her head was beginning to steadily throb and ache.

“How did Noct deal with the news? He didn't say much about it when I drove him home today” Nyx said with a concerned look in his eyes. He was genuinely worried how the young prince, his brother-in-law, was handling yet another part of his life being decided for him.

“I'm not sure to be honest, I haven't had the chance to see him yet. You drove him home?”

“Yeah, Noct said he is letting Drautos borrow the Star of Lucis so I was tasked with getting him home. Made sense with me being part of the family and all. But you should visit him, my star. He leaves tomorrow and I'm sure he'll want to see his sister at least once before he goes.”

Nova reached for Nyx's hand across the table, giving him a soft smile and nod as he gave her a reassuring squeeze and a lopsided grin.

“I'll stay at my place tonight so you can spend time with your brother and Amicitia before they head out. Speaking of which, Crowe was sent to Tenebrae this morning, some kind of infiltration mission to get to Lady Lunafreya out of the Empire’s control.”

Nova nodded at the news, she remembered briefly overhearing her father discuss such a mission with Clarus but he had not mentioned who in the Kingsglaive was to be sent or the exact details of the extraction.

“Makes sense, Crowe can adapt to anything thrown at her, she's good at blending in and never lets her guard down.”

“All those years living on the streets made her a hell of a scrappy fighter with an insane intuition.”

Nova nodded in agreement with a soft laugh, although being orphaned from a young age had not been easy on Crowe, Nova could not help but to be impressed with how resilient and resourceful it had forced her friend to become.

Though there was no doubt in her mind it was from trials and situations no child should ever be put through.

“Also, completely off topic but you really need to sell that apartment and just move in with me. You're already over every night and practically all of your stuff is at my place.”

“Princess, I'm not officially moving in with you until we are legally married in the eyes of the court of the Lucian Kingdom. I'm not being executed by your father or the council for living with you out of wedlock” Nyx said with a serious pointed look to Nova across the table, his steel blue eyes flashed with fear as though he were facing a life-or-death situation, as though he were facing the elder coeurl who had scarred him.

“We've been living together out of wedlock for four years in Lestallum Nyx. Plus technically, we're already married."

“Yeah, but no one knows that the townhouse exists and hardly anyone knows about the wedding, so that doesn't count Princess.”

Nyx and Nova both softly chuckled as they rose from the table. Nyx placed his arm around Nova's shoulders as he brought her in to his chest, placing a firm kiss to the top of her head as they walked through the Citadel corridors.

The Citadel had grown accustomed to seeing the unlikely pairing of the Lucian Princess and Hero of the Kingsglaive as a couple over the course of their relationship. It had come as a great shock to Nova to see the lingering glances that once again followed them in the hallways as Nova learned in to Nyx's arm, wrapping her own around his waist.

Nova held her head high as she thought of the united duo they were presenting themselves as, not just as a couple, but as a beacon of hope that the immigrants of the city were supporting their king's decision.

“I've been promoted to Castle duty with the upcoming treaty signing” Nyx said with a snort and chuckle, rolling his eyes as he casually lead Nova to the Citadel’s entrance under his arm.

“I might have mentioned to Dad it would be a good idea to increase security around here with our distinguished guests soon arriving. And I might have said a certain Hero of the Kingsglaive was not being utilized properly at the west gate” Nova said with a sly smirk to Nyx as she leaned in to her husband’s embrace.

Nyx gave a hearty laugh and a shake of his head, “Princess, sometimes I don't know who pisses of Drautos more, me or you.”

“Definitely me. I outrank him so he can’t just ship me away when I question his authority and decisions.”

“Gods I love you, my star.”

“I love you too Nyx.”

Nova returned to her building and immediately walked in to her brother's apartment, not even remotely surprised to see that nothing had been packed as Noctis sat on the couch playing video games with Prompto.

“Novie, I'm done with your fucking brother, he's useless. Can we give his lazy ass the boot to the curb as the heir to the throne so I can be your Shield again?” Gladiolus grumpily huffed as he carried an armful of boxes that blocked his vision from the depths of Noct’s room.

“I personally would fully support that veto decision" Ignis sighed as he followed in Gladio's wake, delicately balancing two boxes on one hip and a lamp in his hand.

“Hey, you need to take your problems up with the Gods and the Crystal” Noctis snorted from the couch as he leaned with the motion he was driving his cart in on the screen.

Nova helped Gladio sit down the pile of boxes near the front door before relieving Ignis of his load. Opening the kitchen cupboards, Nova began to pull down stacks of dishes to be packed on the countertop.

“Baby brother, I love you, but you seriously need to get your shit together.”

“Yeah dude, you like seriously have a lot to do before you go.”

“Prom, you're only saying that now because you're like, sickly in love with my sister.

“Dude, I’m just merely appreciating Nova’s words of wisdom.”

“I'm sure that's not the only thing you like to appreciate about Novie" Gladio snickered, pulling the plug on the TV with a large defiant smile and crossing his arms as both Noctis and Prompto instantly groaned on the couch.

With the five of them packing and cleaning the apartment, loading the piles of boxes in to the back of Gladio's truck, it had hardly taken them any time before Noct's apartment was a barren shell with only the lone couch and bed remaining in the empty space.

Pizza was ordered and beer was bought, Noctis sat with Prompto and Ignis on the couch while Nova and Gladiolus opted for sitting on the floor. Nova comfortably leaned against the hulking frame of her massive best friend, enjoying the simplicity of the moment.

Nova's mind could not help but wonder when the next time she would be able to sit in such a relaxed and carefree manner with the boys. No real concerns or worries, smiles came easily, laughs were infectious and jokes were shared. 

Her heart hoped and prayed it would be soon, her gut told her differently.

“So, how does it feel having your little brother get married before you?” Gladiolus gave a teasing nudge of his elbow to Nova's ribs as he took a long swig of his beer, throwing a large arm around her shoulders to draw her in to his side.

Nova's eyes quickly darted to Ignis, his emerald eyes flashed with mischief behind his glasses as he brought his own bottle up to his mouth to hide the smile that twitched at the edges of his lips.

“Not going to lie, it's pretty weird to think about Noct marrying someone as lovely and responsible as Lunafreya” Nova chuckled, directing the conversation away from her and Nyx to steer clear of accidentally mentioning the topic of their secret elopement.

“Rude.”

“She has a point, I would find it difficult to believe Lady Lunafreya will tolerate your messy and unruly ways” Ignis quickly added to the conversation, no doubt assisting with Nova's misdirection.

Nova enjoyed her evening with the men, it pained her to not be accompanying Noctis to Altissia and attending his wedding but until the treaty was signed, her duty was to keep his enemies as far away from him as she could.

She resumed her position by her father's side the following morning, a little bit worse for wear from the late night but finally feeling more relaxed about the truce, despite the nagging dread that constantly pestered her.

Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto stood in front of Regis and Nova in the throne room, receiving the formal blessing from their father for their safe travel to Accordo.

Nova could not help but snicker as her brother took the royal protocols and pushed them to the wayside with his usual lack of formalities as he casually strolled from the throne room without making his own speech to their father.

“Come, let us see your wayward brother off, shall we?” Regis sighed with a weary smile that soften his tiresome green eyes as Nova helped her father from his throne.

The long late nights and stress of the coming events had not been kind to his health in the past few days. The lack of rest was clearly deteriorating the proud king at a more rapid pace than before.

Drautos joined them by the Citadel’s doors, awaiting a moment with the king to finalize the plans and preparations for the Kingsglaive stations and roles during the upcoming treaty signing.

Nova allowed Regis a moment alone with Noctis, patting her brothers shoulder as she passed them on the stairs, taking the opportunity to say her goodbyes to her best friend.

“Keep him safe out there big guy, don't make me come out there and show you how it's done.”

“I wish you were coming with us Novie. You being there would have made for one hell of a road trip.”

Gladiolus brought Nova in for a hug, crushing her against his massive frame as he placed a strong and solid kiss to the top of her head. Nova eagerly returned the firm embrace, squeezing the large man with as much strength as she could muster, her face firmly planted against the warmth of his chest.

The smell of leather with the spicy and warm musk of cologne stuck to Nova's hair and body as she pulled away from Gladiolus, giving him a small smile when she saw his roguish grin.

“Yeah well, you know how the job is. Just got to do what you're told" Nova said with a shaky laugh, leaving the comforting arms of the massive man.

Nova had been actively avoiding to mention the fact that she was staying behind of her own volition, the lie felt wrong and thick in her mouth as she looked to the disappointed amber eyes in front of her. Regis and Nyx were the only one’s who knew she had chosen her role, if her suspicions came to light then there was no doubt in Nova's mind that Noctis and Gladiolus would refuse to leave Insomnia.

“Be safe Gladio, watch your back out there.”

“I'll be back before you know it baby girl.”

Nova gave him one final smile and a quick embrace before meeting her brother on the Citadel steps, pulling him in to tight hug. Noctis reluctantly returned the embrace with a slight chuckle.

“Be careful out there baby brother. Whatever happens, just keep your head held high and keep moving forward, got it?”

“What's with you and Dad being so dramatic today? I'm only going to Accordo” Noctis laughed with an eye roll as Nova gave him a small and soft smile.

“I love you Noct, and so does Dad, even if he never says it.”

“Yeah, I know. I love you too."

Noctis cleared the remaining steps with a slight wave over his shoulder, "oh, Novie. Nyx told me the good news. I'm really happy for you guys."

He jumped in to the back of the running Regalia to join the others and driving away as Nova rejoined Regis on the steps.

Nova felt a little bit lighter and relieved knowing Nyx had shared their secret, it was one less thing in the web of lies that was being withheld from Noctis. She let out a soft sigh she watched as Ignis drove them away, away from the lies, away from the Empire.

“Will he be okay?” Nova quietly asked as she looped her arm through her father's, leaning her head against his frail shoulder.

“We can only hope. But I daresay he will fair better than the rest of us" Regis sighed, his heart heavy with the burdens his children were about to face.

He was forcing his son to leave without the knowledge of what Regis had an inkling of a suspicion was to be an assault on the Crown City, while his daughter was fully aware of the impending threat and forced his hand in allowing her to stay.

Nova accompanied Regis to his meeting with the Captain, Marshal and Shield, confirming the kings plans for the Kingsglaive to be on guard of the Citadel while the Crownsguard were to stay with the citizens during the treaty signing, only the minimal amount of the guard to be scheduled for duty.

The orders met resistance from both Clarus and Cor, Drautos however was incredibly pleased with the decision.

“Cor, you are to personally oversee the evacuation of the citizens if it is needed. You designed the plan and know it better than anyone.”

“With all due respect, my position should be at your side, Regis.”

“If anything should happen, I will have the entire Kingsglaive, Clarus and Nova at my disposal. You're priority is to ensure the safety of the citizens" Regis sternly replied, his commanding tone left room for no further debates.

Cor bite his tongue, a clear look of disdain written across his face but he did not push the matter.

“Do you think an evacuation will be needed?” Nova asked Regis as they slowly walked the marble corridors, looping her arm through her father's as Regis heavily leaned on his cane with each step.

“I honestly cannot say, but I fear it might. Clarus has already ordered Monica and Dustin to remove Iris from the city at the first sign of trouble” Regis stopped his strides as they approached the large doors leading to the throne room.

“Nova, if things with Niflhiem become dire during the signing, I need you to swear to me that you will leave the city” Regis pleaded, not as the King of Lucis, but as her father. His voice was soft and weak, his eyes desperately sought her own for the reassurance he needed.

“If it comes to that, then I promise.”

Content with her response, they returned to the throne room, they had hardly arrived or even been settled in to their respective seats before word was given to the king, Lady Lunafreya had arrived in Insomnia with the Imperial convoy.

Regis immediately issued the command for Drautos to collect the Oracle, Nova shared a worried and confused glance with her father. The unexpected arrival of Luna meant Noctis was going in the opposite direction of his soon-to-be wife, throwing a wrench in to the plan Regis had devised.

The lingering tentacles of dread crawled up Nova’s stomach and in to her throat as thoughts of Crowe and her mission rushed to the forefront of her mind at the unexpected arrival of Lunafreya to Insomnia.

* * *

 

Nyx drove Lunafreya through the congested Insomnian streets, it was a slow going process with protesters and supporters of the truce both lining the streets, disrupting the flow of traffic through the city center.

“Welcome to Insomnia, Princess" Nyx chuckled, the words felt wrong and strange in his mouth at calling anyone besides his Nova princess, especially to a woman who was soon to be his sister-in-law, regardless of the fact she had no idea.

“You're city is truly a marvel" Lunafreya replied softly, absorbing all of the sights around her with an intrigued curiosity of the Crown City.

Nyx silently escorted Lunafreya through the Citadel and directly to the throne room, giving a small lopsided smirk and wink as he saw Nova with the King near the throne.

She was a stunning mixture of both his Galahdian Princess with her darks locks tied back in to her braided crown with the Gods given headpiece resting on top and of the strong Lucian Sword who stood proudly in her royal raiment attire beside the throne. 

Nyx stood guard and listened to Lunafreya’s conversation with Regis, Nova was by his side, her hand tightly holding his own as they secured the door together. Nyx shared a worried glance with Nova, the arrival of the Oracle went against what she had told him of the plans for Noctis and his wedding.

Lunafreya’s words strongly reminded Nyx of the woman by his side, his wife, of her unwavering loyalty to the duties and responsibilities she was tasked with. Nyx gave Nova's hand a small squeeze as Lunafreya spoke of being prepared for whatever may come to pass with her destiny.

What Nyx would give to never hear of anyone sacrificing their lives and happiness for duty and responsibility. The sooner the king signed the treaty, the sooner he would be whisking Nova away, whether to Galahd or back to their small home in Lestallum.

As long as Nyx had Nova, he would be happy wherever made her heart soar, her eye’s shine bright like the Galahdian sea and her smile to be as wild and free as her soul.

“Nova, would be so kind as to escort our dear Lunafreya to a room?” Regis called out from his high perch of his throne when.

Lunafreya approached Nyx and Nova, he released his hold of his wife's hand as he bowed to the Tenebraen Princess.

“Your highness, if you'll excuse me I'm needed back with the Kingsglaive.”

“Well look at you, so you do know how to act professional around royalty” Nova slightly snickered under her breath as Nyx gave her a quick wink and crooked smile before departing, leaving the two princesses together.

“Nova, I'm so glad to finally have the opportunity to meet you. Noctis has spoken quiet highly of you through our correspondence” Lunafreya greeted Nova warmly and formally, giving her a soft and gentle smile as Nova escorted her through the Citadel halls.

“It’s definitely been overdo for quite a few years. I was supposed to travel to Tenebrae back when Noct was injured, but my training took precedence” Nova snorted with an easy smile, remembering how reluctant she had been when her father instructed her to stay back in the Crown City with the Amicitia’s when all she wanted was to be by her brother’s side.

“I suppose it is better late than never if we are soon to be family. The glaive that brought me here, he is of importance to you?” Lunafreya asked curiously as Nova stopped in front of a door to the guest chambers.

“You could say that. Why do you ask?”

“The way you looked at each, it seemed caring and meaningful. It was a look that I can only hope that one day I will receive from Noctis.”

Nova softly chuckled at Lunafreya's open admission but appreciated the honesty from the woman she had only just met. The blonde woman made Nova feel at ease and comfortable with her, perhaps it was her dedication to her brother or the mystical properties of being the Oracle. Either way, Nova decided to tell her the truth.

“When you marry Noctis, that glaive will be your brother-in-law, he's my husband.”

Lunafreya’s blue eyes grew large in surprise, the slightest of gasps leaving her at Nova's words. “I apologize, I wasn’t aware that you were married, or that he was your husband. News from Insomnia does not often travel to the far reaches of Tenebrae.”

Nova laughed with a dismissive wave, “no one knows actually, we eloped to Galahd, his homeland, not long ago.”

Nova's phone began to ring in her pocket, giving an apologetic smile to Lunafreya as she fished the device out of her blazer pocket, the blonde gave her a quick smile as she stepped in to the room beside them whispering quietly while Nova answered her call, “you're secret is safe with me.”  
Nova held no doubts that Lunafreya would indeed keep that information hidden from the world.

“Hey babe, what's going on?”

“Nov’s, it's Crowe. Get to the Kingsglaive medical bay, now.”

Nova did not even hesitate to consider what Nyx had said, his strained tone had been enough for her to immediately begin pulling off her heels and discarding them in front of Lunafreya’s door before she took off in a full sprint.

The sounds of her bare feet thudding against the marble floors echoed through the hallways, her voice frantically commanding any bystanders in her way to clear a path.

Nova’s dark locks billowed behind her as she tossed her blazer aside, the form fitting jacket was restricting her movements as she dashed through the corridors.

She could hear the distant voice of Libertus yelling in the distance as she wildly darted through the Kingsglaive compound, her lungs ached for a breath of air and the cement under her feet scrapped at her flesh, she dismissed the pain to the back of her mind as the yelling drew louder.

Tearing around a corner and in to the medical bay, Nova came to a dead stop at the sight in front of her.

Nyx turned in time to see Nova's shaking form beginning to crumble, her lungs struggled for air and her eyes went wide in shock. Unsteady steps took her to his side, Nyx instantly and tightly brought her face to his chest with a hand on back of her head and another around her waist, kissing her head as he spun around in order to avert Nova's eyes from Crowe’s body.

“Hey, hey, hey, don't look. Just breathe, that's it Princess. Nice and slow, steady.”

Nova shut her eyes as she buried her face in to Nyx's jacket, the smell of leather and of his cedar and musk cologne filled her nostrils as she tried to even her breathing but the sight of Crowe's cold and lifeless body was imprinted on the back of her eyelids and kept her on the verge of a breakdown.

“How? Why?” Nova softly whispered in to Nyx’s chest, her voice broken and scared, only earning a slight shake of his head and shrug in response.

Libertus hobbled over to the pair, grabbing his crutches in the process, his eyes were red and puffy from the tears that openly streamed down his face.

“Libertus, I-"

“Not now Nova. This is on you and your family, that includes you, Hero.”

“Knock it off Lib, you can't blame this on Nov’s" Nyx sternly and coldly replied, pulling Nova deeper in to his chest when he felt her silent sobs underneath his arms, he flashed his best friend a single warning glare that he was to dread carefully.

Nyx's steel blue eyes were as cold as ice and as sharp as daggers, Libertus only huffed in response as he brushed by the pair, purposely jabbing Nyx in the arm as he walked by.

Pulling Nova back in to the main area of the Kingsglaive training compound, Nyx held her out as arm’s length, her tears were dry and her face disbelieving.

“Don't let him get to you my star, this isn't your fault. Crowe knew the risks and dangers of the job when she enlisted.”

Nova gave a breathy and unsteady sigh, “Yeah, I know that but it doesn't make it any better though. Crowe, she deserved better. This doesn't make sense Nyx, she never let's her guard down, especially in the field."

“I know, my star, it doesn't add up. I'll find Drautos and ask him what he knows. But knowing Crowe, she's probably watching us now calling us a bunch of fucking cry babies.”

Nyx's words caused Nova to laugh and smile, knowing it was exactly along the lines of what the feisty brunette would say.

Nyx gave her a small and broken lopsided grin as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead,

“I'll talk to Libertus. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, I don't really have a choice, I need to get ready for this evening” Nova replied, closing her eyes while sucking in a deep breath before letting it slowly release from her lungs as she looked back to Nyx.

“Tomorrow after the treaty is signed, we’re going to stay in bed all day. I'm going to cook you breakfast in bed and then we’ll watch movies and just ignore everything outside that isn't us. Sound like a plan my star?”

Nova weakly gave Nyx a smile, raising to her toes to give him a kiss on the crow’s foot inked on his cheek.

“I think that sounds perfect Nyx. I'll see you tonight?”

“You know it Princess.”


	30. Kingsglaive Pt. III

_“If there ever comes a day when we can't be together,_  
_Keep me in your heart and I'll stay there forever.”_  
_-Winnie the Pooh_

 

The eve of the signing ceremony was celebrated on the rooftop patio at the Via Caelum Resorts with all of Insomnia stretching out around the prestigious hotel that stood proudly at the Crown City center.

Nova was loyally near her father's side as they awaited the arrival of their esteemed Niflhiem guests.

Nova nodded and flashed a quick reassuring smile to Nyx as her eyes darted over to him across the rooftop while he stood attentively at his post.

Nyx was just as handsome in his Kingsglaive uniform as he was the last time Nova had stood on that patio with him, back on the night when she had been sworn in as the Sword to the Crown.

The years had harden his body as he stood proud and muscular but soften his heart as he flashed a brief lopsided grin and wink to her before catching Drautos in the corner of his eye, immediately falling back to his vacant expression and stoic position.

Fireworks began to light up the early evening sky around them as their Imperial counterparts arrived to the rooftop patio, Nova stood in a relaxed position while she leaned on the patios railing bedside her.

She portrayed an air of being calm and relaxed yet her fingers faintly shook and were unsteady as she held on to an empty champagne flute, twitching with anticipation at the potential need to summon her weapons at a moment's notice if necessary.

The pleasantries between Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt and Regis seemed civil enough, but Nova remained vigilant and wary throughout, only breaking her gaze on the two rulers when a charismatic voice pulled her attention away.

“My word, if it isn't the stunning and regal Princess of Lucis. You surely are the true gem of Insomnia, if I may be so bold to say.”

“Chancellor Izunia, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Nova forced herself to be come across as pleased as she spoke, adding an additional fake smile in for good measure while the close and personal look at the man beside her made Nova’s blood run cold through her veins and a chill run down her spine.

“I'm honored you remember me your highness. I never had the chance to speak with you during our brief meeting, politics and all” Ardyn said with a sly smile, resting his hand on the bannister behind Nova and leaning in closer than she would have cared for.

She could feel his hot breath on her face, feel her skin crawling and itch, and her stomach twisted in knots as an unsettling feeling settled over Nova as she looked in to his empty and hollow eyes.

The black of his pupils gave her an eerie feeling of looking in to a deep void, a dark abyss that was truly inescapable.

“You know, our original terms of the peace treaty were for you to marry our Deputy High Commander. How fitting it would have been for the Lucian Sword to fight beside our Imperial Army. Alas, that was shattered the moment I stepped in to the Crown City..” Ardyn said with a dramatic sigh and slight head bow.

Nova wanted to roll her eyes at the man's theatrics but she continued to maintain her royal façade with a soft smile as she asked the man's meaning, humoring him in the game he so clearly wanted to play.

“Why you see, word had not spread outside your city walls of your impending nuptials, and I am truly a hopeless romantic who would hate to see true love torn apart just because of a silly war.”

“That's very thoughtful of you Chancellor, I certainly appreciate the gesture” Nova wanted to puke in her mouth as she forced the words out with her largest and brightest smile.

The sly grin that made a chill jolt through Nova's spine slowly spread across Ardyn's face at her words, his eyes emotionless and cold.

“It was my deepest pleasure your highness. Is the charming groom to be here this evening? I would very much like to be introduced and offer my congratulations.”

“I'm afraid he is working this evening. I will pass along your greetings however. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should reconvene with my father.”

Nova swiftly and gracefully descended the few steps that would bring her directly to Regis, falling in to a comfortable position at her father's side as he concluded his conversation with Iedolas.

Nova followed her father to the edge of the upper balcony, both of them overlooking the gathering in front of them with small and soft smiles but with scrutinizing and wary glances.

“I don’t like this one bit” Nova mumbled quietly under her breath with as her eyes scanned the faces of the crowd.

“I must agree with you. The Empire seems pleasant and forthcoming enough, though I still doubt their intentions to be savory” Regis replied, hardly above a whisper as the sounds of a nearby violin drowned out their conversation to anyone passing the royal family.

“The Chancellor said their plan was for me to marry Ravus. Apparently news of my engagement crushed that plan" Nova snorted at the thought.

Nova knew that either she would have killed Ravus at the first opportunity or died trying. At least Noctis had a chance of being happy with Lunafreya given their years of friendship from writing back and forth.

“And by engagement I think you mean marriage, my dear daughter.”

Nova shot a quick and wide eyed side glance to her father who openly and loudly laughed in return, having no reason to hide such a genuine response from their Imperial guests.

“You must realize by now that you cannot hide anything from me? I may not have left Insomnia in quite some time, but I'm fully aware of the Galahdian practice of marriage tattoos and what they look like" Regis said with a softer and milder laugh, the genuine smile that spread across his face and lit up his green eyes made Nova take a sigh of relief at seeing her father content for the first time in days.

“I honestly don't know why I even try. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner” Nova replied with her own laugh and shake of her head

“Nor do I but it certainly is nothing to apologize over. I'm happy for you Nova. Nyx Ulric is a good man, a great solider and he'll be an outstanding husband and excellent father to my grandchildren. And it appears he's already befriending his in-laws" Regis said with a chuckle, nodding in the direction where Nyx stood at his post, speaking with Lunafreya.

Nova gave her father a pointed glare as she left his side, Regis chuckled at her as he turned to mingle with Clarus.

Nova approached Nyx and Lunafreya as he handed her a small metal object from his pocket, the Oracle’s face lighting up with gratitude at the item she gingerly held.

“You sure do know how to cozy up to royalty Nyx" Nova said with a light laugh as she glanced at the hairpin Nyx had gifted to Lunafreya with a quirked eyebrow and intrigued smirk.

“What can I say, I have a type and they happen to be Princesses” Nyx jokingly replied with a lopsided grin and wink to Nova, promptly flustering Lunafreya beside him.

“Oh, no. Nova, it’s not like that. Your husband, Nyx, he was just-"

“We're just teasing Lunafreya, you have nothing to worry about and I know I don't have to worry about this guy" Nova chuckled at the blonde woman’s response, slightly feeling guilty until she joined in with their laughs as well.

“Please, just call me Luna. We are soon to be family after all.”

“Well Luna, if you don't mind, I'm going to take this guy off your hands and go home so I can put my hands on him" Nova said with a wink and smirk to Nyx, who only gave her his trademark crooked smile and raised eyebrow in return.

“Princess, I think you're forgetting I'm on guard duty.”

“Drautos, I'm taking Nyx home. Understood?” Nova sharply yelled across the balcony to the Captain, promptly earning an unimpressed scowl and curt nod as he spun on his heel and marched towards Regis, no doubt going to complain to her father about the command.

“Gods I love it when you take control" Nyx mumbled under his breath as the three of them watched Drautos speak to the king.

Regis glanced to Nova, Nyx and Lunafreya with a large smile and nod, waving to the trio as he dismissed a visibly displeased Drautos from his side.

“There's more of where that came from when we get home" Nova teased with a sly grin as she looked to Nyx before turning her attention back to the Oracle, “have a good night Luna, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

With a quick farewell, Nyx and Nova took their leave from the rooftop patio, an uneasy feeling through her body made Nova glance back just in time to see the Chancellor’s eyes watching them leave.

Something akin to a sinister grin spread across his face, Nova could have sworn she saw black marks stream down his face for a brief moment, dismissing the illusion to the lighting of the nearby fireworks.

“Can we grab some skewers from Yamachang’s and stay at your apartment tonight?”

Nyx quirked an eyebrow and shot a quizzical glance to Nova at the unusual request as they left the hotel and returned to the bustling streets of Insomnia, Nova gave a half-hearted shrug and small smile.

Nova was feeling incredibly sentimental and nostalgic, perhaps it was from seeing Nyx on the rooftop and reminiscing on their relationship, but she had a desire to spend their night in the safety of the apartment and bed that had become the tipping point in their friendship.

“If that's what you want my star.”

* * *

 

It had been years since they stayed in Nyx’s tiny rundown apartment, but to Nova it felt like hardly any time had passed as she laid on top of Nyx in his small bed, her head resting on his bare chest and listening to the strong and steady beat of his heart as she caught her breath.

Nyx's hand rubbed the length of her spine and up again, his calloused hands rough on her soft skin but his touch gentle and caring.

“So, Dad knows about our marriage.”

The pause and hesitation in Nyx’s hand on her back made Nova lift her head up and look to at the man, a hearty and genuine laugh leaving her as she saw the color drain from Nyx's horrified face, his blue eyes wide in shook and his jaw slack.

“Don't worry, he approved. Said you'll be a good husband and father to our future children" a soft and sly smirk spread across Nova’s face as she visibly watched the change in Nyx's face as he dropped his head back on to his pillow and let out a deep relieved sigh.

“Princess, you actually almost gave me a heart attack” Nyx groaned and laughed from beneath his hands as he rubbed his face.

“At least now that he knows we're married it won't be so awkward to tell him I'm pregnant.”

“Yeah, that'll make - wait.. _what?!_ ”

Nova gave Nyx a sheepish smile as she watched his confused face. She attentively watched as his grey blue eyes processed her words, the rapid change from cloudy and confused to bright and excited took a mere matter of seconds.

“Princess, you better not be joking with me right now.”

Nyx’s slack jaw rose and curled in to a large lopsided grin as Nova gently shook her head, the soft and delicate smile on her face confirming that she was indeed pregnant.

His heart viciously pounded against his ribcage, his mind raced and struggled to keep up and make sense of his soaring emotions.

Nyx finally knew pure unadulterated joy and happiness and it was in the form of Nova and their unborn child she carried.

“But, how? Why?”

Nova laughed at Nyx’s attempted to form sentences, “well it’s not exactly like we've ever been especially careful Nyx.”

It took a moment before Nyx erupted in laughter, he flipped Nova on to her back, arms resting on either side of her head as he looked down at her with a crooked grin.

“I meant, I thought we weren’t going to have kids anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I'm fucking ecstatic that isn't the case, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to knock you up” Nyx said with a hearty laugh, earning an eye roll and chuckle from Nova.

Nyx attacked Nova’s neck with rough kisses and bites, his scruff tickling her as he worked his way down her naked torso, laughter and squeals leaving her as he finally came to a stop at her stomach. He gently placed long soft and loving kisses to her lower abdomen, the lopsided smile never leaving his face.

“I was going to wait and tell you on father's day, make a whole thing of it. But after today with Crowe, it just, seemed right to do it now. I don't know how tomorrow will go but at least once it's said and done we can finally make a life for ourselves, for our family.”

Nyx looked up to Nova, his charming crooked grin was large and happy, his steel blue eyes bright and passionate, “Nov's, after tomorrow, we're getting the hell out of Insomnia and never looking back.”

* * *

  
Nova left the warm comforts of a sleeping Nyx and his arms in the early morning, making her way to the Citadel in preparation of the treaty signing in a few short hours.

Her smile was a little easier, her head a little higher and her step a little prouder as she weaved through the gathering crowds at the front steps, the air buzzing with the anticipation of the truce.

The final preparations were made for an easy and immediate evacuation of the citizens if necessary. Crownsguard and Kingsglaive were both appointed to their appropriate stations to ensure the days events ran smoothly.

All of the pieces were falling perfectly in to place for the day, Nova was finally beginning to feel more at ease, the nagging thoughts of something going wrong were still pestering her but it was becoming more easy to brush them to the back of her mind with all their contingency plans made.

Nova stood with Regis and Clarus in the throne room, awaiting her father to give the word that they were to head to the signing ceremony.

“Your Majesty, a man of the Kingsglaive is here sire, he demands an audience.”

When Nyx rushed in to the throne room despite the guards attempting to hold him back, Nova could help but to be confused at the situation. She knew he was never one for protocols but the urgency in his plea to her father to deploy the glaive gave her a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Nyx Ulric, how soon can the Kingsglaive deploy?”

“On your word, at once.”

“Go then, save Luna.”

“Nyx, be careful" Nova worriedly added after her father's command.

“Always am Princess" he replied with a wink and crooked grin before hastily leaving the throne room, already in the process of verbalizing the order over his earpiece as he departed.

“Now what do we do?” Nova asked as she spun to look at her father and Clarus.

“Now, we await word from Nyx that Luna is safe. Thankfully I'm getting rather slow moving in my older age, a late arrival would hardly seem overly suspicious.”

Nova leisurely strolled the corridors with Regis, Clarus and a few other prominent members of the council, taking their time in an effort to delay the signing and allow the Kingsglaive to extract Luna from Niflhiem’s clutches.

Nova could feel her anxiety steadily rising as her heart raced and her mind spun multiple scenarios through her head. She maintained a calm demeanor but her fear for Nyx and the apprehension of what the Empire was planning had her feeling uneasy.

She took her seat at the signing ceremony once her father sat beside Emperor Aldercapt, her eyes narrowing suspiciously across the room as they locked on to Chancellor Izunia's own, he gave her a slight nod and a wicked grin as the Regis and Iedolas conversed at the head of the room.

Everyone stood in the room as both rulers rose from their chairs, approaching the treaty document hand in hand. Regis gave a brief and slight nod to Nova, her hands instantly twitching in anticipation of summoning her weapons as she read the expression in her father's green eyes, a warning.

“It is a warning to the hand of justice itself. Never to loose its grip.”

Explosions from outside rocked the room surrounding Nova, without a second of hesitation, she summoned her scimitars of the Hunter to either of her hands. She dropped in to a defensive position, swords crystallized around the room, her father's hand sparked to life with electricity as he faced Emperor Aldercapt’s gun.

Gun shots, screams and more explosions could be heard and felt behind the secured doors, the room within was at a tense stand still as either side stood with weapons drawn, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, MT's came crashing through the windows above, Nova instantly summoned a shield to protect herself and the others near her from the glass shards that rained down upon them and from the bullets the MT's shot in their direction.

The Niflhiem members took their leave as the MT's continued their assault of bullets on Nova, Regis and the Lucian council. Regis unleashed an electric blast through the room, disposing of the Imperial soldiers while Nova protected everyone from the magic with her shield.

“Come, we must escape while we can" Clarus sternly told Regis as Nova reconvened by their side.

“No Clarus, I fear escape is no longer an option.”

General Glauca of the Imperial Army fell in through the broken window the MT's had crashed through only minutes prior, facing towards Nova, Regis and Clarus with his massive sword in hand.

The General’s armor reminded Nova of the molten lava from Ravatogh, the full body suit and helmet looked as though the metal were made from a flowing liquid as the light through the shattered window above reflected off the unusual surface.

“If you wish to leave, go now” Regis told Clarus as the King stood shoulder to shoulder with his Shield.

“And abandoned my king? I think not” Clarus sternly replied, his tone strong and unwavering, just as his allegiance was to Regis.

“Nova, flee while you can" Regis begged of his daughter, his green eyes pained when he saw the mischievous grin spread across her face.

“And leave when things are just getting exciting? I'm good” Nova replied eagerly with a fire burning behind her crystal blue eyes.

She stood guard on the opposite side of her father, a scimitar in either hand caught Glauca's sword between her own blades as he dove in to attack. The strength behind the attack had Nova's knees wobbling and her back weak as she ground her teeth to push him back.

The council members sliced at his back, drawing the General's attention away long enough for Nova to regain her footing. With one sweep of his massive blade, Glauca cut down the defenseless council with astonishing ease.

Clarus charged the General with a relentless barrage of attacks with Nova while Regis flung bolts of lightning, Glauca swept the feet out from under Nova as he flung Clarus to the side. Rushing to a vulnerable Regis, Nova warped to his side, holding back the General with her father’s help and their combined royal arms.

Nova watched helplessly as Clarus was hurtled across the room, a sword directly behind stabbed through his back and pinned the Shield to the wall behind Nova and Regis.

“Clarus!”

“No!”

Regis and Nova yelled in unison, dropping their royal arms at the sight. Glauca seized the opportunity by swinging his sword directly as Regis, Nova only just managed to get her shield up in time as the heavy blade crashed against the crystallized magic.

Nova held the magic for as long as she could, pushing her father out of harm’s way the moment she felt her shield giving way. Glauca’s blade came down hard and fast, Nova earned a deep gash along her thigh as she dove to safety.

“Dad, no!” she cried out in horror as she watched the General cleanly severe his hand from his body. Struggling to rise as her leg bled and gave out from underneath her, the sound of metal clinking across the marbled floor made her feebly and desperately crawl as the ring of the Lucii haphazardly rolled away from Regis.

Her weak attempts at walking were brought to a stand still as Ravus picked the ring up from the floor. Nova's vision blurred as her leg gushed an endless stream of blood, she collapsed on to her good knee, taking the moment of reprieve to crystallize a potion to her hand and crack it over the deep wound in her thigh.

A fire burned bright and wild up the arm of Ravus as he screamed in pain, the Lucii had rejected his attempts at power and he was to pay the hefty price. 

Feeling reenergized as the potion worked its magic through Nova's body, she jumped to her feet in time to see Nyx warping at the General from the opposite side of the room.

Without a second of hesitation, Nova joined Nyx in his assault against Glauca once she saw Luna run to her father's side. They seamlessly warped in and out of the General's grasp, Nyx would attack high and Nova low.

When Nova had the General's attention Nyx blasted him in the back with a powerful lightning blast, enhanced by the elder couerl attack that had threatened to take his life years ago.

They both dove in with a flurry of attacks, Nyx with his kukris and Nova with her scimitars slowly pushed the General back, unable to block or parry the four blades that were chiming out against his armor.

“Quickly, through here" Regis's voice rang out against the constant sound of metal-on-metal as he unleashed his own bolt of lightning against Glauca when an opening was made available, promptly bringing the mighty General to his knees.

Nyx tightly grasped Nova around the waist, sending his kukri flying in the direction of the hidden elevator her father and Luna were waiting on. The sharp smell of ozone wafted in her nostrils, a flash of blue blinded her and her stomach felt uneasy and nauseous as she brought up solid against Nyx's body in the lift.

“Oh Gods, it's no wonder half the glaive puke if that's what warping feels like for you guys" Nova heaved out as she attempted to keep her stomach settled as the elevator doors closed in front of them.

“You sure it isn't morning sickness?” Nyx said with a snort, his crooked grin dropping the moment his steel blue eyes met the scrutiny of the cold green of the king regarding him.

“Nyx Ulric, are you insinuating what I believe you are?” Regis asked, his voice flat and indistinguishable as his eyes flickered from the glaive to his daughter, who leaned against Nyx’s body with a sheepish smile as she fought to catch her breath.

A weak smile curled at the edges of the king's mouth, his green eyes briefly sparked to life at the confirmation, until the realization of their current predicament stole whatever joy he had felt from under his feet.

“This leads to a hidden passageway, follow it. Once you're away, make for Altissia, Noctis awaits for you there" Regis said with a pointed look to his daughter, Nova nodded in understanding at her father's words, blinking away the tears that began to accumulate around her eyelids.

Nova knew that Regis was aware he was not going to be accompanying them on the trip to Accordo.

“You knew this way coming" Nyx huffed as he helped Nova to her feet, his eyes glancing with worry to the blood that was quickly drying along the length of her pants.

“Yes" Nova and Regis responded in unison, Nyx’s steel blue eyes grew wide in surprise at Nova’s admission to being aware of the Empire’s true intentions.

Nova remained unflinching as Nyx's shock turned in to a seething glare, the tension in the elevator growing as it descended in to the hidden hallways of the Citadel.

“It was the only way to draw their wrath from Noctis” Regis interjected, drawing the attention of Nyx away from Nova and on to himself.

“Is that the way of our King? Sacrifice Lucian sons to save his own?”

“To save world” Luna added, her voice heavy with the gravity of the importance Noctis held for Lucis, for all of Eos.

“See Luna and Nova safely to Altissia. This is not an order from a King to his Glaive, this is a plea from one man to another, from one father to another. Please Nyx Ulric, keep them safe. For the future of all” Regis begged, his voice and eyes desperate as he looked to the younger man, putting his full faith in to his son-in-law.

“The future" Nyx mumbled, his earlier anger subsiding as he processed the King's words.

“For our future Nyx” Nova added with a nudge to his arm, earning a soft lopsided grin as Nyx’s eyes flickered down to her stomach and back to her crystal blue eyes.

A sudden jolt through the elevator sent all eyes looking up to the ceiling, Nyx and Nova glanced to one another, with a nod, they each drew their respective weapons to their hands.

“I think I see a boy in our future Princess. I'll teach him to be a fighter and a gentleman, just like myself" Nyx said with a laugh as he winked at Nova.

“If he's going to learn how to fight, then he'll be better off learning from me, old man.”

“So, you think it'll be a boy too then?”

The shared look of affection between them was brief before the elevator doors opened behind them, Nova reached up to kiss Nyx’s cheek before she was entering the chamber with a slight smirk on her face.

Nyx placed a hand on the small of her back and placed a kiss to her hair as he took the lead, ensuring no dangers lurked ahead of their trek. Lunafreya and Regis brought up the rear, the King’s steps slowing and hobbling before coming to a complete stop.

Green eyes filled with sorrow met Nova's crystal blue ones, her breath catching in her chest as she took in her father's crestfallen look. Nova kept her tears at bay, a proud and pained smile spread across her face as she gave Regis a curt nod as he summoned a shield between them.

Nova had to turn her back as Luna cried out at the appearance of the magical barrier, watching Regis prepare to sacrifice himself for his family was too much for Nova to bare.

“I know your mother would wish the same as me, that you and Noctis live happily. All those years captivate because I had failed you, not again. Locked doors will seal your fate no more” Regis told Luna as she accepted the Lucian King’s chosen fate.

“Nova, my dear daughter, words cannot begin to express how proud you have made me, how proud your mother would be” Regis said solemnly, his eyes searching Nova’s as she turned back to regard her father. “Watch over your brother and guide his wayward soul when the weight of the crown becomes too much for him to bare. May motherhood be as big of a blessing to you as being your father has been to me.”

“Our hope goes with you now Nyx Ulric, Godspeed.”

Nova could not keep her tears at bay any longer, the sight of General Glauca behind Regis and his inevitable fate quickly creeping up on him had tears steadily streaming down Nova's face as Nyx attempted to pull her and Lunafreya away to safety.

Nova resigned to the guidance easily as she watched her father drop his cane and prepare to fight the General head on. She spun her back on to the battle, refusing for the final image of her father in her mind to be of the King who had succumb to the Imperial Army, but of the strong and benevolent man she knew him to be.

Lunafreya’s cries felt like a stab through Nova's heart as she tightly shut her eyes, commanding her tears to stop as she took an unsteady and shaky breath.

A hand on her lower back pushed her onward towards the garage of the Royal Fleet. Nyx whispered soft apologies and reassurances for vengeance as they sprinted through the cement corridors, his hand holding hers the entire time to drag Nova along with him.

The trio jumped in to the first car in the fleet they came across, Nyx instantly flooring the gas in order to get them as far away from the Citadel as quick as he could.

Nova wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, clearing her vision for the unavoidable fight with the Empire she was certain they would have before reaching the city limits.

The moment bullets ricocheted into the car causing Nyx to swerve and veer on the road was the moment Nova found her resilience again, pushing only thoughts of survival to the forefront of her mind.

Nyx switched positions with Luna in the front of the car as Nova’s blades crystallized in her hands, her thoughts were the same as her husband’s.

When Nyx’s kukri flew in to the airship firing at them but he remained behind, Nova set her jaw and took in a deep breath.

“You're without your magic.”

“You noticed that huh? Guess it died with the King” Nyx replied angrily at the situation.

“Guess it's a good thing I don't rely on other’s to fuel my magic, huh Hero?” Nova said with a weak laugh, opening her door with a small smile as she met Nyx's glance in the rearview mirror.

“Princess, don't you fucking dare.”

Nova warped to the airship in a flurry, her scimitars easily cutting through the flesh of the Kingsglaive who had betrayed their Kingdom, who had betrayed her family.

Tredd blocked her first few swings but the fury that motivated her attacks only grew with each passing moment. Nova could not place it but for a brief moment it had felt as though another was guiding her movements as she flawlessly exposed every available opening that was presented to her. 

Her instincts and intuition guided her blades, her mind was clear and empty and her swords were eagerly licking up the blood of her enemies with astonishing ease. 

Her body moved of its own volition with every attack and block, cutting through the ranks of the traitorous soldiers with not an ounce of guilt in her heart as their blood stained her clothes and skin and trickled down the length of her blades.

The airship slowly began to descend and spiral out of control at the lack of a pilot or remaining troops on board to correct the course, forcing Nova to warp to down to the Insomnian streets, where daemons wrecked havoc as the city was destroyed around her.

Skyscrapers crumbled in to rubble around her, the air was heavy with dust and smoke as fires were blazing, Crown City citizens yelled and screamed as daemons attacked and car horns screeched as they were crushed from falling debris.

It was a true horror to behold but one that Nova did not truly have the time to process as she fought her way through the hordes of daemons, rescuing those she could from their filthy clutches and pulling away the survivors from the bodies of the fallen.

Nova kept attempting to call Nyx's cell and determine his location as she made her way across the city, each and every call only went directly to voicemail.

“Damn it Nyx, where are you?” she grumbled as she warped to a nearby rooftop, attempting to get a better vantage point of the city from the higher spot.

Nova heard the faintest and familiar sounds of Nyx's voice far below and away from her, quickly followed by the sounds of gunshots echoing throughout the empty streets.

Panic took over her body as she jumped off the building, warping as quickly as possible in the direction of the commotion that rang out, the pained screams of Nyx guiding her blades with pinpoint accuracy along the barren streets.

Nova landed in the square just in time to see Nyx produce a shield around himself and Lunafreya before a bolt of lightning from his hand had Glauca flung across the large open expanse, horrified to see that it was Drautos in the General's armor.

“I could get use to this.”

“Nyx, what have you done?!” Nova frantically asked at the reappearance of his magic, her heart sank and broke as she watched him remove the ring of the Lucii from his hand and place it in Lunafreya’s.

“Nothing I wasn’t already willing to do my star” Nyx replied with a slight lopsided grin and a half-hearted shrug. “Go with Libertus and Luna my Princess and give Prince Noctis my regards.”

“Nyx, _no_. I'm not leaving you, I can't, I won't Nyx” Nova said as tears build in her eyes, her voice weak and broken as she desperately wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging tightly to him in an attempt to keep him with her.

“Nov's, you need to leave the city. You need to keep our kid safe” Nyx mumbled in her hair, blinking away the moisture that threatened to spill in to her Galahdian braids.

Against every fiber of what his body told him to do, he unwrapped Nova’s tight grip around him and held her at arms length, preparing to push away the very woman he was fighting for, the only person he wanted to see his final sunrise with.

“Nov's, have I ever told you how much I love you?” Nyx asked quietly, mustering what little will power he had left to give her the most genuine lopsided grin he could.

Nova's chest and throat felt tight and constricted, her tears openly and relentlessly gushed from her eyes as she weakly shook her head. Her vision blurred on everything but the steel blue eyes in front of her and her legs threatened to collapse were it not for Nyx’s strong and firm hold on either of her shoulders.

“I love you more than anything my star. And I already love our unborn child with every single piece of my soul” Nyx said with a broken laugh, quickly glancing behind him as General Glauca slowly rose to his feet behind them. “Raise our kid right Nov’s, tell him, his dad loved him more than life itself.”

Nyx's lips came crashing down to Nova’s, the weight of his full love and dedication to her behind it as his chapped lips met her soft ones. The salty taste of her tears felt heavy on his tongue and heart, her broken sobs in her arms wavered his resolve for a brief moment. 

The sound of metal screeching against pavement brought Nyx’s attention back to the General behind him as Glauca scrapped the large blade across the ground.

“We’ll settled up when we're in Galahd, me and everyone else will be waiting on you" Libertus said as he grabbed Nova’s arm, pulling her away from her best friend, her husband, her soul mate.

“I'm counting on you, Hero" Nyx replied before squaring his shoulders and facing the General head on.

Nova prayed with all of her soul to the Astrals that would hear her plea to protect Nyx as she watched him warp directly at Glauca from the back of the car Libertus drove.

The city whipped by them in a blur, Nova cried her heart and soul out as she laid across the back seat. The slight flashes of blue in the distance was a constant reminder that those were the final glimpses she would see of Nyx.

“Nov's, he's going to be fine.”

“Nov's, he the Hero for a reason.”

“We’ll see him in Galahd.”

Although Nova appreciated the efforts Libertus was attempting to make in cheering her up with his ignorant bliss, Nova was fully aware what the price was to bargain with the Lucii, a price that sent her in to another round of heartbreaking sobs.

The car came to an abrupt halt, the battle for Insomnia taking place directly in front of the vehicle as the Old Wall stood guard in front of them. Nova did not hesitate, she saw an opportunity and opened the car door, warping in to the fray, hanging on to the tiniest bit of hope at seeing Nyx one last time.

The sky was beginning to brighten up in light shades of pinks and purples, the morning light fully displaying how decrepit and destroyed the city had become over the course of the night.

Nyx’s fight with Drautos kept him just out of reach from Nova, every time she was able to get close, either he would warp elsewhere or be flung half way across the city.

Nova did not relent, she watched helplessly from a distance as she saw Nyx’s struggle with Drautos as they rapidly plummeted to the ground, throwing her own blade in that direction when they had both landed amongst the rubble of fallen buildings.

She warped until her stamina gave out, cracking open an elixir over her chest, and warped again. The sun was just peaking above the horizon as she came to the spot where Drautos' body laid broken and motionless, Nova's eyes desperately searching the area for Nyx.

“Nyx, _where are you?_ ”

Her lungs filled with dust and ashes that hung in the air from the debris, caking on to her wet cheeks as tears continued to roll down. Nova dug in through the rubble looking for any sign of him, any sound of his cries that he was buried underneath the debris.

Nova’s heart pounded, her fingers ached and bled as they scrapped and tore against the cement as she threw debris to the wayside. Her last bits of hope crumbling rapidly like the cement pieces she heaved away. 

“Nyx, I need you. Please don't leave me” Nova sobbed as her knees roughly collapsed to the jagged ground, watching the most breathtaking sunset the Insomnian skies had ever seen consume the sky, a lone shooting star sped across the brightening expanse as night gave way to morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY!!!  
> I feel like I made this WAY worse than was necessary or than what I had intended. I couldn't even bring myself to proofread it because I bawled like a baby knowing where this was going😭😭


	31. A Broken Sword & A Sturdy Shield

_“Even though death has torn us apart,_  
_Your love lives forever inside of my heart.”_  
_-C.A. Martine_

 

Blood, sweat, and tears clung to Nova’s skin and clothes as she arrived to Hammerhead in the early morning. Her hair matted against her soot stained face, her clothing cracked with every step as the dried blood crumbled to the ground.

Nova could not recall how she got to Hammerhead as Cindy rolled her bike away from her and in to the garage. The last thing she remembered was kneeling in a pile of rubble searching for any sign of Nyx amongst the debris.

The only thing she had found was the lifeless body of Drautos, pierced through the chest with a wound that fit Nyx’s kukri perfectly.

Now, she stood in the middle of the parking lot feeling lost, alone and confused. The morning heat of the Leide desert sun already blistering, heat waves rose from the pavement and rippled in the air.

Despite the sweltering temperature Nova felt cold and empty, she felt removed from her body and mind as she just stood until the hot rays in a cloudy haze.

“Nova, are you okay?”

The voice of Cor Leonis broke Nova out of her daze as she blinked at the concerned man, it snapped her back to reality and lifted the gates to the emotions she was not prepared to deal with and hit her in a crushing wave that made her knees weak and her body crumble.

Nova collapsed on to her hands and knees in the parking lot, sobs shaking through her entire body as she attempted to catch her breath and push her thoughts away, but the memory of Nyx saying his goodbyes kept her spiraling deeper and deeper in to the grief her heart did not want to accept.

“What happened?” Cor softly demanded once Nova's crying had briefly subsided.

They sat on the plastic chairs in front of the Hammerhead caravan, Nova had a hot coffee in hand as a feeling of numbness crept over her, vaguely looking out at the distant dusty horizon with a genuine disinterest.

“Dad’s dead, Drautos killed him. Nyx is dead, he sacrificed himself.”

Nova's voice was cold, hollow and distant, her expression remained vacant as Cor regarded her, he was concerned about both the woman and the words she had spoken.

“Nova, I'm so sorry. Ulric, he was an exceptional soldier and man, his death will not be in vain. As for your father, I should have-"

“Cor, I'm pregnant.”

Nova's voice was broken and small, hardly above a whisper as her crystal blue eyes once again clouded over and began to fill with tears as she quickly glanced at the Marshal.

“Nyx, did he know?” Cor asked, worry lacing his voice as his plastic chair scrapped across the pavement while he jumped up from his chair.

Cor bent down on his knees in front of Nova, taking either of her bloody and torn hands in his as she gave a curt nod, head hung low as her breathing became unsteady again.

A deep sigh left Cor as Nova squeezed his hands, using his touch as an anchor to ground her as she looked up to the clear blue sky above and blinked her tears away.

“Have you heard from Noctis?” Nova shakily asked as she attempted to keep her emotions at bay by focusing on her duty, just how Cor had instructed her to deal with physical pain.

“Leave your brother to me. Go to Lestallum and rest, you've been through enough.”

“But I told Dad I'd look out for him.”

A soft smile appeared on the Marshal’s face as he reassuringly squeezed Nova's hands, “and you will. But first, you need to take care of yourself.”

Nova nodded in understanding, unsteadily rising from her chair with Cor's help. She felt disconnected from her body as it made the short walk to the garage and she felt like a passenger on the bike as her body weaved through the countryside, in mind returning to a void that left her head in a haze.

Muscle memory guided her feet through the bustling Lestallum streets, the alleyways over crowded with refugees from Insomnia who were desperately searching for a safe haven.

Nova ignored the blatant stares she received, not because she did not care about her citizens pain and suffering but because she was too absorbed in her own to pay their pleas for help any mind.

Reality crashed in to Nova the moment she stepped in to the townhouse she had bought with Nyx. Her hand was unsteady and shook on the doorknob as she gently closed the door behind her.

The townhouse had always been a secret sanctuary for Nova and Nyx, their own personal refuge away from the prying eyes of the Lucian Kingdom and of the Imperial Army.

Now, it threatened to tear Nova apart and steal the little bit of composure the broken Sword had left.

Nyx's cologne from previous weeks was still faint and lightly wafting in the air, the flowers he had given her after their engagement were dried and decaying on the kitchen table, photos of the two of them stared in to Nova's soul as she sank on to the leather couch.

Nova pulled the elder coeurl hide down on top of her and over her face as her tears began to well up in her eyes again, the fur strongly smelled of Nyx, which was both comforting and heartbreaking.

A series of vibrations came from her pocket, each time she ignored it a new succession of vibrates would occur. Nova weakly stirred and pulled the phone from her pocket, reluctant to unlock the device.

The device lit up, Nyx's steel blue eyes looked back at her with an adoring affection and genuine tenderness, his charming lopsided grin was large and happy while sweat and water glistened on his tanned and toned muscles.

What had once been a cherished memory of their journey up Ravatogh where Nyx had proposed now broke Nova in to a million pieces.

She quickly unlocked the device so as not to see the handsome and rugged face of Nyx staring back at her.

Messages, missed calls and voicemails chirped loudly in her face as they kept rolling in. The disruption in service during the Fall of Insomnia left all of her notifications coming in at once now that she was in Lestallum.  
All of the messages were exclusively from Gladio.

_Novie, what happened?! The papers are saying Insomnia has fallen??_

_Please tell me you made it out and you're okay._

_Nova, I'm fucking freaking out! The reports say the Royal Family died, I'm with Noct so that's obviously partly bullshit, but where are you?!_

_Just saw Insomnia, or what's left of it. Nova, please for the love of the Gods just let me know you're safe._

Nova called Gladio after skimming through his messages, it had hardly even rang once before the deep husky voice answered the phone.

“Nova, where the fuck have you been?” Gladio said with a deep sigh of relief and a hearty laugh.

Nova did not have the energy in her to return her best friends good natured attitude, “I'm in Lestallum” she replied point blank, her voice cold and empty.

“Good, Iris is there too apparently, called Noct and told him. We’re just meeting Cor now and then we’ll head that way. Tell Ulric to ignore my texts, I'll see you guys soon.”

Gladiolus hung up, leaving Nova once again come face-to-face with the photo of Nyx she kept as the wallpaper on her phone, once again she felt lost and alone as she tightly closed her eyes and hugged the fur that smelled of Nyx close to her chest.

* * *

 

Nova did not remember falling asleep or know how long she was asleep for, but if the messages from Gladiolus were any indication, she had slept for an entire day and a bit. The mental, emotional and physical toll and exhaustion her body had been put through had caught up to her.

Her eyes felt swollen and puffy and her head pounded from the crying she had done the previous day, her heart was still heavy and broke but a resigned numbness filled the ache that had stabbed in her chest during the previous day.

Reluctantly she rose from the couch, leaving the couerl hide rolled in a ball as she threw it on the leather surface. Nova made her way to The Leville where Gladio had texted her their room number upon arriving.

Curious and wary stares followed Nova through the Lestallum streets, Insomnian refugees passing by gave their Princess covered in old dry blood a large berth, the citizens of Lestallum paid no mind to the battle worn woman they had adopted in to their community since they had seen her in such a battered state on numerous occasions.

The Leville had not changed since her and Nyx had spent a few weeks at the hotel years prior allowing Nova to easily navigate the hallways.

She paused in front of the door that lead to Gladio’s room, a deep breath in and a long deep sigh out steadied her shaking limbs enough to give a soft and gentle knock on the door.

Before Nova had time to register what had happened, she found herself being embraced by a warm and massive body, her face firmly planted against the rock hard chest of the Shield.

“Novie, where the fuck have you been? You said you were in Lestallum but Iris hadn't seen you, the front desk didn't have a fucking clue and you weren't answering your God’s damn phone again.”

Nova tried to chuckle as she looked at Gladio's roguish grin and bright amber eyes that burned with excitement. She made her best effort to give the large man a soft and small smile but only a stoic and emotionless expression remained across her face.

Gladiolus held Nova at arm’s length, taking a moment to regard Nova’s lack of response, her distant and vacant expression, the blood that stained her clothes, the gashes and cuts that had only recently healed on her body judging from the fresh and pink skin that stood against her fair skin.

But most importantly, Gladiolus noticed the absence of a certain Kingsglaive solider by her side, the Hero who had become an almost permanent shadow to Nova over the years.

“Novie.. where’s Nyx?” Gladio hesitantly asked as he pulled the woman in to the hallway, gently shutting the door behind him so as not to disturb the men sleeping in the room.

Nova kept silent as Gladio continued to lead her away from his shared room, bringing her to the patio chairs and table that rested in front of the Leville. She looked up to the night sky and the calming stars above as she took in a deep breath of the cool Lestallum air.

Glancing to the warm amber eyes of Gladio, although concern and worry was clearly written in their honey hue, it was mildly comforting and put her slightly at ease.

“Nyx, he.. didn't make it. He sacrificed himself for Insomnia.. for us” Nova said softly and quietly, it took every ounce of her willpower to keep her tears at bay as she spoke the words with a sad and broken smile.

Hearing it out loud made it real, saying out loud that Nyx was gone and never coming back stabbed Nova in her heart that had already been shattered in to pieces.

“Novie, I'm so so sorry. Fuck, and I told you to tell him to ignore my messages like a fucking idiot. Nova, I didn't know. Are you okay?”

Nova gave a forced weak and sad smile to her best friend in an attempt to reassure him. Gladiolus easily saw through the façade, pulling the chair he sat in beside Nova, his arm rested over her shoulders and pulled her in to his chest.

“Gladio, I'm pregnant and I'm alone and I don't know what to do.”

Nova's voice may have been small and muffled against his chest but Gladio heard her as clear as day, the weight and gravity of the words came crashing in to him in a wave of deep anger at Nyx for leaving Nova in that position.

Gladio took a deep breath to reel in his fury since it would only upset Nova more, he roughly rubbed his free hand over his face, calming himself as he rubbed circles in to Nova's back.

“Novie, I made a promise to Ulric years ago that if anything ever happened to him, I'd take care of you in whatever way I could, and if that means helping raise his kid with you, then that's a role I'm willing to step up to if you’ll let me. Plus, you have Noct, Iggy and Prompto, not that Noct and Prompto are much help when it comes to anything but you're not alone Novie, I can promise you that.”

Nova's head lifted from Gladio’s chest, a half hearted smile spread across her face as she nodded in appreciation of his words, her crystal blue eyes remained broken and sad but the tears Gladio had been expecting to see were no where to be found.

“How is Noct anyways?” Nova asked, a slight look of worry breaking through her vacant expression.

Gladio gave a half shrug as he sighed and shook his head, “he’s hurt and angry but he'll get over it. He was moody up until he learned you were alive, now he's just grumpy.”

Nova nodded in understanding and sighed as she shifted her weight under her best friends arm, “Gladio, I'm sorry about Clarus.”

Without a second of hesitation Gladio waved her worry away with a shake of his head and an easy smile, “don't be. He died protecting his King, it’s the most noble way any Shield can go.”

“The Empire has taken too much from us, they will be held accountable for their actions.”

Gladio did not doubt Nova's words, her cold tone was as sharp her blue eyes as she looked to him with an unwavering determination.

“I'll be right there with you Novie, through it all.”

“I should go home and shower" Nova said with a reluctant sigh as she pushed Gladio's arm away from her and rose from the chair, regarding her ruined royal raiment that clung to her body and heavily smelled of soot and sweat.

Gladio's heart broke as he noticed how small and fragile Nova looked, she was an empty shell of her former self that crushed the mighty Shield.

“I'm coming with you" Gladio's voice left no room for argument as he stood from his own chair, repositioning his arm over Nova's shoulders as he gave a slight squeeze.

With a tiny smile and nod, Nova lead them in silence through the Lestallum alleyways and marketplace, Gladio said nothing but curiously regarded the rundown townhouse Nova had brought them too as she unlocked the rickety door.

It did not take long for Gladiolus to began putting the pieces together as he stepped inside the house behind Nova. Photos of her and Nyx were scattered around the living room, a pelt that resembled the fur on Nyx's battle armor lay in a ball on the couch and the whole place faintly smelled of Nyx’s spicy and musky cologne.

Nova remained quiet as she went up the stairs, leaving Gladio to his own devices as he heard a door latch and water running on the upper level.

“Ulric, what the fuck have you done?” Gladio angrily asked as he picked up a photo of the glaive with Nova from a small wooden table that stood beside the leather couch he sank on to.

They stood in front of a bright and glowing sunset with the ocean at their backs, Nyx was placing a kiss on Nova's cheek as a genuine laugh spreading across her face that lit her eyes with joy.

Gladiolus sighed as he sat the photo back down where he had grabbed it from, the soft sounds of crying had the large man leaping up from the couch and to the stairs he took two at a time, stopping in front of the closed door he could only assume lead to the bathroom.

“Novie, are you okay?” he quietly asked as he gently knocked on the door.

“No" it was hardly above a whisper in between sobs but it was enough to stab Gladio in the stomach as he rested his head on the door and tightly close his eyes.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Gladio slowly opened the door, his heart breaking at the sight of Nova wrapped tightly in an oversized towel sitting in the middle of the floor, her long black hair fell over her shoulders and part of her face.

Tears mixed with the water that streamed down her face as her body shook with each sob she let out. He sunk down beside her, pulling the woman in to his chest once more, Gladio knew there was no words that would fix the pain his best friend was going through, he just hoped his presence could bring her some semblance of comfort.

They sat that way for a while, even when Nova's breathing became more regular and her cries eventually faded, she continued to lean in to the Shield’s embrace. Gladio did not rush her, he rubbed circles in to her arm and leaned his head back against the wall.

“Nyx never taught me how to braid my hair" Nova said softly once she had regained her composure, “he always did it for me so I never had a reason to learn. And now..”

Nova did not finish her sentence and Gladiolus did not need her too in order to know where it was heading.

_And now he's gone._

“What about Ostium? He could probably teach you.”

“He's gone back to Galahd I think” Nova said with a sigh and a shake of her head.

“Then go to Galahd.”

“What?”

Nova looked up to Gladio with large eyes, a clear expression of shock and uncertainty at the notion was written on her face. Gladiolus shrugged, it made perfect sense in his mind.

“Go to Galahd. Libertus could probably teach you how to do it. It's obviously important and it'll give you a piece of Ulric and his culture to pass down to your kid.”

“Theia, she doesn't know yet.”

Gladio regarded Nova with a confused look as a flash of pain and worry crossed behind Nova's cold blue eyes as she looked up to his warm amber pines.

“Theia, Nyx’s mom.”

“Fuck, I didn't know Ulric had any family left" Gladio said with a deep sigh as his head thudded back on to the wall behind him.

Nova gently nodded as she placed her head back on the Shield’s solid and warm chest, Gladio instantly wrapped an arm around her as they sat in silence once again.

“I have to go to Galahd. Theia and Libertus need to know what happened to Nyx.”

“I'll come with you.”

A soft chuckle left Nova as she shook her head underneath of Gladio's arm, “you have to stay with Noct big guy. Don't worry, I'll be fine.”

“Will you though?”

It was a loaded question Gladio had asked her, one that took Nova a moment to pause before answering.

“Honestly, I don't know. But I'm going to try.”

* * *

 

Nova spent the night recklessly driving through the Lucian countryside, she feared that if she did not get to Galdin Quay quickly, she would lose what little nerve she has in travelling to the Galahdian islands.

The sun was rising along the coast as pulled in to tropical resort, the magnificent colors reflecting on the clear and gentle surface of the ocean would have taken her breathe away, had she not felt truly numb and empty in her soul.

Passage on to the ferry had been easy enough to secure with the assistance of her former landlord who lurked on Galdin's port, waiting for any hints of a story that came his way.

The story of the Hero of the Kingsglaive who had laid down his life during the Fall of Insomnia to protect the Lucian Princess and the Oracle was the story of a lifetime for Dino, who was already in the process of mentally planning a tribute to the man as he gave Nova her ferry tickets.

Nova slept on the ferry as it made its crossing during the day, arriving to the tropical isles as the sun set on the foggy horizon. Stepping on to the small wooden port of Galahd felt almost akin to coming home for Nova and yet she felt like a foreigner invading a land that did not belong to her without Nyx by her side.

The drive to the Ulric residence was painfully fast, Nova ran through a million scenarios and conversations in her head as to how she could tell Theia the awful news.

None of the situations or words Nova had envisioned came to light, the moment Nova saw Theia’s own piercing steel blue eyes that perfectly resembled Nyx's, Nova's will broke and she fell in to Theia's arms and tightly held the older woman as she cried on to her shoulder.

“Come in and sit. I'll make us tea.”

Theia guided Nova in to the living room to sit by a warm and comforting fire that kept the night’s brisk dampness at bay while she went to the kitchen, returning shortly with two steaming mugs in hand.

“So, it finally happened then" Theia said with a defeated sigh as she passed Nova a hot cup of tea, the crisp smell of peppermint eased in to Nova's nose and calmed her.

“You knew Nyx was going to die?” Nova asked quietly as she looked in to the flames burning beside her, she did not have it in her heart to look Theia in the eyes, in Nyx’s eyes.

“My dear, I hate to say it was a miracle Nyx made it through life this long but it's true. He had a knack for finding trouble and getting right in the middle of it" Theia said with an easy laugh, causing Nova to finally bring her gaze to the woman.

“He’s always been reckless, hasn't he?” Nova said with a faint smile, her eyes welling up as she blinked her tears away.

“Don't cry my dear, Nyx knew this would happen one day. He left you this for when it did" Theia said as she held up a sealed envelope.

With large eyes and shaky hands, Nova slowly took the white envelope from Theia’s steady grasp. The woman gave her a soft smile and a reassuring nod.

“Nyx is at peace with his sister now. He'll always be watching over you Nova, never forget that" Theia said as she rose from the couch, leaving Nova alone in the living room with the heaviest piece of paper she had ever held.

Hesitant and shaking hands slowly opened the envelope, pulling out a haphazardly folded piece of paper that undoubtedly held Nyx’s scribbled handwriting.

With a deep and steady breath, Nova began to unfold the paper. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as her eyes read over each letter and word with a longing pain to hold the man instead of his letter.

_My star, my Princess,_

_If you're reading this, then odds are I did something incredibly stupid and didn't make._

_In an ideal world I’ll be handing this to you when we're old and sitting on a patio looking out at the ocean while our grandkids are playing on the beach. But let's be real, I was probably a fucking idiot and went face to face with an elder coeurl again or some shit haha._

_Anyways, we're about to be married in a few hours and it’s Galahdian tradition for the groom to write a letter to his bride in case something happens to him while hunting or at war._

_Growing up, I always use to think it was such an unnecessary and pointless tradition, obviously the wife would know her husband loves her, why else would they be married, right?_

_And then you happened._

_Nov’s, there's not enough words in Galahdian or Lucian to ever explain how much I love you and appreciate your existence in my life and nothing will ever change that._

_I was just a war torn, bloodthirsty Galahdian looking for revenge when I came to Insomnia and you gave me a purpose and a dream._

_A dream that I'm thankful to live every day I get to call you mine._

_I'm writing this now and hoping that we were able to have a couple of decades of being married before you're reading this and that I have made you even half as happy as you’ve made me._

_I love you with all my heart in life and I sure as hell won't stop in death._

_Nova Lucius Caelum-Ulric, I’ll be waiting for you in the stars, but don't rush. Enjoy your time and be the strong, beautiful and wild woman I know you to be._

_Love your Hero, husband and friend._

Nova viciously wiped away the tears that poured down her cheeks and threatened to ruin the ink on the paper she tightly held to her chest. She sat on the couch reading and re-reading the letter, it was not until the fire beside her had long burnt out that she finally rose from the couch.

She laid in Nyx’s old bed, staring out at the bright stars through the large awning window the bed rested beside, wondering with a lonely and broken heart if Nyx really was watching over her and their child from the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter won't be so heavy, I promise, but Nova desired at least one full chapter of grieving.  
> It's almost entirely written and I'll have it finished and posted in a few days🖤


	32. A Mending Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight reference to Follow the Stars with a Nyx quote but nothing major that would be hard to follow if you haven't read that fic!

_“I wish someone had warned me when I was younger,_  
_Now I stay up all night and weep;_  
_The ghosts of everything you have loved and lost_  
_Come back to haunt you in your sleep.”_  
_-Nikita Hill_

 

_Nova was walking through the dimly lit hallways of the Citadel, the lights above her eerily flickered and threatened to give out as a torrential storm raged behind the shuttering window panes._

_Her heels clacking on the marble floors echoed loudly and bounced off the empty corridors she made her way through them, the district sound of the howling wind accompanied each of her steps._

_Why was the Citadel so dark and abandoned?_

_It felt off and wrong, she could not place her finger on it, but she knew she should not be there._

_Footsteps softly falling in step beside her drew Nova’s thoughts away from the unsettling feeling as to why she should not be at the Citadel when she had called it home for so many years growing up._

_Regis walked tall beside her looking every bit the proud and strong King he was. Looping her arm through his own, Nova happily smiled as she saw he father easily keep pace without the use of his cane._

_“You did well my daughter” Regis said with a slight smirk as his green eyes quickly glanced to Nova as they continued their walk through the deserted Citadel hallways._

_Nova gave a soft smile to Regis but something was different about her father besides his lack of a cane. She could not quite place why, as soon as she almost grasped the thought it trickled away before she could give it words._

_“You're not supposed to be here" Nova finally managed to say, but she did not understand why, of course her father belonged in the Citadel._

_Regis gave her a knowing smile and a wink, his body slowly began to deteriorate and turn in to ashes in front of her._

_Nova desperately reached for the floating particles, attempting to grab even a single piece between her fingers but each time she did the ashes would float through her grasp and just out of her reach before disappearing entirely._

_As the remnants of her father's body continued to vanish in front of her horrified eyes, Nova noticed a tiny glimpse of purple fabric billow around a corner down the corridor she had just come from._

_With a heartbreaking glance to the last few ashes floating away, Nova tried with all her might to make her feet run, yet the harder she tried it seemed the slower her legs would move._

_Frustrated in getting no where, she attempted to summon a blade to her hand in order to warp down the barren hallway and toward the glimpse of purple she had seen._

_No weapons appeared in either of her hands despite her commands for them to be released from the crystal._

_Her run was slow and painful but eventually Nova made it to the turn she had seen the familiar fabric turn down, only to find the purple was from a curtain hanging in front of an open window that flowed viciously with the gusts of wind from the storm outside._

_“You know, if you wanted to see me, you just had to ask Princess.”_

_Nova turned around just in time to see piercing steel blue eyes and a lopsided grin smile at her before she was falling from the Citadel’s floors giving out from beneath her._

* * *

 

Jolting awake to the sensation of dropping, Nova sat straight up in a panic and gasp.

It took her a moment to gain familiarity with her surroundings in the dim nighttime lighting, the soft waves crashing outside and the birds chirping outside were not the sounds of Insomnia or Lestallum she had been expecting to hear.

The night sky was only just beginning to brighten from a dark inky blue in to a rich royal blue as the stars hopelessly clung on to the last remaining remnants of night.

Nova rubbed her tired eyes with the palm of her hands and an exasperated sigh before rising from the bed, taking the heavy blanket with her and wrapping it tightly around her weary shoulders.

She sat on the patio in front of the Ulric residence, watching as the sky lit up in soft pastel colors above the gentle ocean. The salty breeze was crisp as nipped at her exposed face, she tucked her knees in to her chest and rested her head on her knee caps as the sun slowly rose and burned brightly across the horizon.

Nova wanted to hated how glorious the sun rise was, she wanted to revel in the shadows of the night where she could be lonely and empty in the dark confines with no one being the wiser.

Morning took away the safety net of her emotions, she felt vulnerable and exposed as the first bright and warm rays of day licked at her fair skin.

Yet the longer she sat there on the quiet beachfront deck, listening to the gentle waves rolling against the shore and taking in the spectacle of the stunning sun eating away at the cold morning fog and banishing away the dark shadows of the night, Nova found herself appreciating the simple beauty of the moment.

The cold numbness inside of her warmed, although Nova was no where near accepting Nyx's fate and being okay with the large void his absence left in her heart and soul, she at least felt somewhat at peace with his decision.

“Another beautiful morning on the isles.”

Nova looked to the older woman beside her, Theia casually leaned against the open doorframe with an easy smile as she took a sip from her steaming and richly bitter smelling mug.

With a soft smile that did not feel as forced as Nova had been expecting, she nodded to Theia's as she turned to face the beautiful view once more.

“Is there ever a bad day here?” Nova said with a slight chuckle as Theia sat on the bench beside her.

“Far and few between, but when a storm hits it's like the wrath of Ramuh is behind it" Theia said with her own soft laugh, the melodic nature of her voice made the younger woman smile with a calming peace.

“Theia, do you mind doing me a huge favor?” Nova quietly and softly asked, earning a raised eyebrow from the woman who continued to sip her coffee. “Can you teach me how to braid my hair? Nyx always did it, and I’d like to keep that tradition alive and pass it down to our child.”

Nova gave Theia a sheepish smile and a shrug as her piercing blue eyes lit up in shock and surprise at such unexpected news.

“My dear, nothing in this world would make me happier than teaching you how to braid hair to pass down to my grandchild.”

By midday, Nova had a general grasp on the intricate and delicate process of Galahdian hair weaving. She still struggled with the more elaborate braids that represented the Ulric family, but she was confident with more practice and a few more days under Theia’s patient tutelage, she would have it mastered by the time she returned to the mainland.

“Where can I find Libertus? I'd like to tell him in person about what happened” Nova asked as she sat at the kitchen table, picking away at the seafood medley Theia had prepared for their lunch.

“Are you sure you're up for that today?” Theia asked with genuine concern as she regarded the vulnerable aura that surrounded the younger woman.

Nova gave a slight shrug and a deep sigh, “definitely not, but it needs to be done.”

Theia's instructions were easy enough to follow as Nova meandered down the weaving road on her bike, arriving to the Ostium residence after a quick and short ride down the coastline.

The hearty sound of the deep laugh belonging to none other than Libertus greeted Nova the moment she stepped off her bike and removed her helmet.

“You finally made it" Libertus called out, casually strolling along the gravel driveway Nova had parked on.

With a small wave and a tiny smile, Nova returned the man's greeting, instantly earning a confused glance at her solo arrival. With a deep sigh and a heavy heart, Nova shook her head in response to the stare she received from Libertus.

* * *

 “That stupid fucking idiot" Libertus angrily growled, tears steadily rolled down his cheeks as he threw his half empty beer bottle in to the ocean.

Nova sat quietly beside him, her feet dangling over the edge of the wooden wharf and in to the warm and crystal clear Galahdian sea as her face remained emotionless despite the man's outburst and despite once again tearing her heart out of her chest at the explanation of Nyx's death.

“How are you not crying? How are you okay with it?” Libertus asked quietly and softly, a stark difference from just a moment prior.  
Nova looked over to the man, his dull blue eyes looked as lost and broken as she felt on the inside, yet she gave a small smile in spite of herself.

“I'm not even a bit okay with it Lib. But there's not a lot of room for sadness in my heart right now when I'm so incredibly proud of Nyx and what he did.”

It was difficult for Nova to say, but she knew it was the genuine truth.

Perhaps it was reading Nyx's letter a million and one times, perhaps it was the calming and healing energy of the islands, but Nova could not deny how proud she was of Nyx for always doing what was right.

Even at the cost of his own life.

“Well I still think he’s a fucking dumbass. If he had just waited for you to show up, you could have worn the ring of the Lucii with no problems right?” Libertus grumbled, cracking open a new beer and taking a large swig.

“Yeah. But I'm sure Nyx did what he had to because he had no choice and couldn't afford to wait. That's what I've been telling myself anyways" Nova said with a defeated sigh and a heavy and broken heart.

Those exact thoughts had reeled through her mind countless times, if she had just stuck with Nyx and Luna instead of leaving them, she could have been there to wield the ring.

Nyx could have been spared and she could be sitting in the comforting embrace of his strong and warm arms instead of missing his comforting presence in her life.

Nova had to keep reminding herself of the words Nyx had said to her a few years prior, back when she had felt she needed to take the guilt and blame for his life threatening injury from the elder couerl attack.

_“Nov's, you can't let other people's stupid actions burden you with a weight that isn't yours to bare. So next time I'm being an idiot and get hurt, and we both know it's bound to happen sooner rather than later, remember it’s not your fault, it's never your fault.”_

Libertus sighed, finishing off his beer with large one gulp, reaching for another as he passed one to Nova. Shaking her head and putting a hand up at the offered bottle, Libertus gave her a confused and almost offended glance.

“C'mon Nov's, we gotta honor the dumbasses legacy with a drink” he said with a hurt chuckle, his blue eyes still lined red from the loss of his lifelong best friend.

“I'm honoring his legacy in a different way that requires me not drinking unfortunately, for at least quite a few more months.”

“Son of a bitch. Are you shitting me right now?”

Nova gave her first genuine and full hearted laugh in days at Libertus as the man wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly in to a sideways hug.

“I shit you not Lib, we’re going to have a new little Ulric running around in no time” a large happy smile slowly curled the edges of Nova’s lips in to a smile, an expression that had felt lost to the woman over the course of the previous few days.

“Nov's, if you need anything at all for this kid, I'm here for you. Don't hesitate to ask, I know Nyx would curse me from beyond the grave if I left you guys high and dry. After all the shit he's done for me, the least I can do is help raise his kid” Libertus said his sad blue eyes were unwavering at his sincere statement.

Nova gave a soft smile and a nod to the man before pulling her attention back to her feet that was soaking in the gentle cerulean waves that lapped at her skin.

“You and that kid are the only ones I got left Nov's. First Crowe and now Nyx, fuck sakes. I'm sorry about what I said before, about Crowe’s death being on you. I was angry and a fucking idiot.”

“Yeah you were" Nova softly chuckled, earning a loud snort from the man as he sipped his beer, “but it’s fine Lib, families fight sometimes, yeah?”

A small smirk spread across the scruffy features of the Galahdian man as his shoulder nudged in to Nova's, “yeah they do.”

* * *

Nova spent a week in a Galahd, the morning's were with Theia as the woman taught her all of the complex and detailed braids she knew. Afternoons were spent with Libertus, reminiscing on their days spent in the Crown City with Nyx as they explored seaside caves and fished on the wooden docks.

It was the night's that crushed her soul and broke her will to continue. The empty loneliness of being alone with only her thoughts and memories of a man she was desperate to see and touch.

A man who kept haunting her dreams with each time she was able to fall asleep. A faraway ghostlike apparition of Nyx in a crowd, the figment of him just ahead of her, he was always there and yet never within her reach.

The daily routine Nova acquired of watching the sunrise freed her heart and mind of the guilt and blame she carried. The first rays of light ate through her heavy heart the same way it did with the early morning fog.

She felt a little less broken and a bit more confident in her impending return to the mainland.

Nova still had no idea how she was going to manage raising a child all alone in a world where she had duties and responsibilities to carry for the Kingdom, but with the support offered to her, Nova felt it would be at least a bit more manageable.

“Are you sure you're ready to head back already? You're more than welcome to stay as long as you want" Theia worriedly asked as Nova pulled on her leather jacket and made her preparations to leave Galahd.

Nodding in response, Nova gave Theia a warm smile, a gesture that was becoming easier with each passing day even though her heart was no where near being mended.

“I have no choice. God’s only know someone needs to keep an eye on my little brother, the ruling king, in check beside Ignis” she replied with a light laugh and eye roll at the thought of Noctis being in charge of Lucis at such a young age.

Theia nodded in understanding, bringing the younger woman in for a tight embrace, “stay in touch and if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. When your due date is closer I'll come to Lestallum and help you for as long as you'll have me.”

Nova said her finally goodbyes to her mother-in-law, jumping on her bike and heading straight for the docks that would bring her back to the mainland.

The sea was rough and unsteady as the ferry sailed, almost as though the oceans were attempting to prevent Nova leaving the safety and comfort of the isles.

Nova was nauseous and sick the entire voyage as the ferry swayed and dipped with each rolling wave it crashed through. She prayed it was merely sea sickness and not morning sickness from her pregnancy as she heaved in to the toilet of the private cabin she had rented.

If it was morning sickness, Nova had no idea how she would make it through the remaining stages with how truly horrid she felt.

The crossing took longer than usual given the turbulent seas, the day long journey could not come to an end soon enough for the sick woman, the solid ground under her uneasy feet was a blessing Nova had never truly appreciated until they docked at the Galdin Quay port.

Nova's phone buzzed to life with voicemails and missed calls, six alone had come from Cindy with an additional handful from Noctis and Gladio.

Not having the mental energy or motivation to deal with listening to the voicemails after puking her life up for hours on end, Nova sent out multiple quick texts to the trio of people, informing them of her return to Lucis and inquiring as to what they had called about.

“Anything happen since I was gone?” Nova casually asked Dino as she neared the Mother of Pearl restaurant and lounge.

“Not a damn thing. You know how they say no news is good news? Yeah, well that ain't true for a reporter such as myself so if you get any juicy leads, make sure an bring them to your favorite reporter in Eos, yeah?”

When no response came from anyone she had texted and Dino's admission of no new activity in Eos, Nova gave a slight mental shrug as she pulled on her helmet and jumped on her bike.

The return drive back to Lestallum had drained an already unwell and queasy Nova to a point of pure and utter exhaustion as she struggled to maintain a focus of the road.

Nova persevered despite knowing the fact she absolutely should not continue and just rent a caravan overnight at one of the many outposts she passed until she felt better, but sheer stubbornness had Nova parking her bike in the Lestallum parking lot as the sun was just rising beyond the distance meteor.

Her heart stopped and heavily thudded in her chest as she spotted what she could only assume had been Cindy’s reasoning for calling and leaving so many voicemails that she had still yet to listen to.

Parked on the opposite side of the parking lot was the distinct shiny black motorcycle that Nova could pick out of any line up, it was the bike she had gifted to Nyx a few years before.

“Cindy must have got someone to bring it out of Insomnia” Nova painfully mumbled to herself as she looked over the meticulously cared for bike with teary eyes.

Nova blinked away the tears and with shaking hands that struggled to hold her phone she immediately attempted to call the blonde mechanic to express her feelings of gratitude and relief that the woman had been so thoughtful in retrieving Nyx’s prized possession and bringing it all the way to Lestallum for her.

After the fifth ring, Nova hung up, making a mental note to make a trip to Hammerhead in the near future to properly thank the woman.

The second Nova closed the door to the rickety townhouse behind her and shut herself off from the outside world, she crumbled in to a ball on the dualhorn leather couch.

Pulling the elder couerl pelt over her in one swift motion as she collapsed, Nova had practically fallen asleep before her head even hit the cool and soft surface of the furniture.

_She was back in the Crown City, the streets were congested with screaming and crying people as everything burned around her._

_Riots were ensuing as people attempted to flee the crumbling city that was under siege._  
_Nova whipped around, taking in the sights of buildings collapsing, cars burning and people dying all around her._

_Ash and soot choked her lungs and made it hard to breath as she pushed through the crowds of panicked citizens._

_A flash of purple fabric mixed in to the throng of people immediately drew Nova's attention to that direction as she pushed and shoved her way towards it._

_The unique pattern and clothing of a Kingsglaive uniform was attached to the other end of the rippling fabric, causing Nova to hasten her steps as she desperately attempted to catch up to the person wearing the uniform._

_The man was so close that Nova thought she could reach out and finally touch him, but each time he managed to just slip away. Whether it was from Nova being knocked in to the crowd or the man cutting in front of a passing car, she just could not seem to catch up with him._

_“Please, just turn around and see me.”_

_Nova begged as he dodged in to a nearby crowd. An overhead bridge groaned and creaked as the cement foundation gave out, threatening to collapse on top of unsuspecting people, included in that mix was none other than the man she had been desperately attempting to reach._

_Nova summoned her dagger and sent it flying in an effort to save the citizens, but most importantly, save the man she could not save the first time around._

Sitting up with a jolt at the sudden intrusive snap back to reality, Nova threw the dagger in her hand she did not recall summoning in the direction of the lock to the door being thrown and the creaky old door groaning open.

“Son of a fucking bitch!”

The deep yelling and quick cursing had definitely caught Nova off guard as she groggily processed what had happened, but the sight in front of her had surely shaken off the last few tentacles of sleep that had wrapped around her wearily mind.

The dagger she had thrown with pinpoint accuracy, despite only being half awake, had become deeply embedded in to the shoulder of the unsuspecting intruder.

However it was no stranger that stood in her doorway with a dagger stabbing in the unsuspecting flesh up to the hilt, blood coated the blade and dripped on to the wooden floors as it was viciously ripped free of the wound with a low and deep groan of pain.

“Fucking sweet almighty Shiva on a stick Nov's, I figured I had definitely pissed you off, but I didn't think you'd want me dead again so soon" came the half chuckle and grimace as the pain shot through the man’s shoulder at his own laugh.

Nova’s jaw went slack and her heart had practically stopped beating as time seemed to slow around her for a brief moment.

It resumed a steady pace before exploding with adrenaline as Nova's eyes met with the familiar grey blue ones that looked like a cloudy day in Galahd and a lopsided grin that easily spread across the tanned and rugged features of a charming man that could steal anyone’s heart, most specifically that of Nova's, who he had claimed many years before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😘


	33. A Hero Reborn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References to Ch. 4 in my Follow the Stars fic

_Burn, if you must._  
_But, rise from the dust.”_  
_-Parul Nigam_

 

_“-a severe injustice has been inflicted upon you, one which I shall gladly correct from hearing the pleas of my favored champion and witnessing firsthand the cruelty you have unrightfully endured. Go forth and return to the living Hero, for the fight of light over darkness has only just begun and you have paid the Kings of Old wrongful price for long enough..”_

* * *

 

For a brief moment, everything was bright and light. He felt weightless and free as he floated in an empty void before a sudden crashing feeling of weary heaviness began to spread through his broken body and limbs.

Every muscle, sinew, and piece of skin ached in his body as he drew in a sharp and sudden breath. It had felt as though the wind had been knocked from his chest as he heavily gasped in the filthy air of dust and chalk that littered the slight breeze, causing his lungs to choke in to a coughing frenzy.

His eyes felt dry and scratchy as he quickly blinked in an attempt to moisten the orbs, his mouth pasty and his tongue felt thick and heavy as he groaned while sitting up.

With blurred vision, Nyx Ulric could only just make out the flowing form of a blonde woman with eyes wrapped tightly in a strip of white fabric, her white dress resembled and blended in to the smoke of the fires that smoldered nearby.

Wiping a groggy and battle worn hand that was covered in soot and blood over his face and eyes, the mysterious woman was no where to be seen when he regained his sight.

Not that Nyx needed another glance anyways, she was undoubtedly the woman Nova had received her starry headpiece from years before in the Leide desert.

Astrea, the Goddess of Justice had personally brought him back from the dead.

Nyx attempted to jump to his feet at the thought of Nova, his haggard body had other plans however as he weakly tumbled back down on to the gravel underneath him on his hands and knees, another coughing fit shock through his body as he hacked up a dark and thick mucus from his lungs.

“Gods, coming back to life is more painful than fucking dying" Nyx mumbled as he wiped away the bloody mess that coated his lips as the distinct taste of iron heavily coated his tongue.

He took a deep sigh and took in the ruined city around him while he basked in the morning light, the sun warmed his itching skin and aching muscles. Skyscrapers that once stood as tall beacons of the cities success lay in crumbled mounds, the meticulously cleaned streets were now laid to waste with rubble, debris and the bodies of the fallen.

Included amongst the fallen was that of his own former mentor, Drautos, who laid in a broken heap in his Imperial armor not far away, killed by Nyx's own hand.

“This is all your fault, you fucking selfish asshole" Nyx growled as he chucked a rock at the lifeless body with all the strength he had behind it, the stone merely bounced off the metal armor with the sharp thud echoing throughout the empty and desolate streets.

Fishing his phone from his pocket, it only took a quick glance for the man to realize the device was completely destroyed and unsalvageable. The screen was cracked and shattered while the phone had crumbled in half on itself.

“Un-fucking-real" Nyx grumbled as he tossed the useless device in to a pile of fallen debris at his side.

Slowly Nyx began to feel energy return to his body and the painful sharp aches that shot through his veins turned in to dull steady throb.

Rising to his feet, Nyx took a few shaky steps while he stretched out his muscles and joints. The louds cracks of resting bones and pops of sockets made Nyx sigh in relief at the tight pressure being freed.

Nyx was confident his body had withered away in to ashes when he had died and yet now his body felt like he had merely slept too long after a gruesome and hard fought battle.

Small unsteady steps took him slowly through the ruined streets, the wreckage of the once magnificent Crown City made him pray Nova had made it out with Libertus and Lunafreya alive and unharmed.

Thoughts of reuniting with Nova guided his heavy and weary feet with a determined purpose as he made his way to the nearby apartment building he hoped was still standing.

Luck and fortune were on his side as Nova's building came in to sight, one of only a handful of buildings that remained in tact despite the warzone that surrounded the area and had torn the city to shreds.

Quicker and more sure footed steps had Nyx busting through the locked glass door and down the steps leading to the parking garage. He heavily leaned on to supporting concrete walls and metal railing as he hastily descended the stairs, thanking his new favorite God, Astrea, that his bike and the garage door had remained unharmed and unscathed during the battle for Insomnia.

Nyx's bike purred to life and roared through the barren city as he weaved his way in and around the obstacles that lay haphazardly in his path.

Despite the Imperial airships that flew overhead of the Crown City, Nyx met no resistance on his hurried escape, another blessing he was confident came from his saving grace of the God who miraculously resurrected him.

He made it to Hammerhead in a time and speed that would have made Nova's driving look slow and leisurely, pulling in to the garage for a short reprieve before heading to Galdin Quay and catching the next ferry to Altissia.

“Son, you look worse than an anak calf that’s been stung by cactuar needles and about as lost as one too.”

Nyx turned his attention to the old raspy voice with the thick accent behind him, seeing Cid call out to him with a wave from his usual perch in the chairs located in front of his garage.

“I feel about as good as that too" Nyx replied with a slight aching laugh as he stumbled over to the older man's spot, dropping carelessly and heavily in to the seat opposite him with a deep and worn out sigh.

“You been in the ruins all this time?” Cid asked with a genuine curiosity as he glanced over the haggard appearance of the Galahdian man. The Kingsglaive uniform the soldier wore was ripped and tattered with the left sleeve completely torn free to expose the extensive wounds that now compromised his flesh.

Scars that resembled burns heavily covered his left arm, spreading up his neck and tracing along his face. Cid knew better though, instantly recognizing the pattern on his ashy grey skin from his days with Regis, it was the result and consequences of intense magical use.

“Yeah, you could say that. How long has it been?” Nyx wearily asked as he leaned back his head against the seat, closing his eyes and wiping a hand over his face.

“Bout a week now, give or take a day or two. You must've got a right good beatin in there if you can't keep track of the days.”

Nyx gave a genuine hearty laugh in response, he was not about to tell the older man just how accurate his statement truly was.

“Been quite a few days now since the Princess came by, looking like a right ol' mess. Poor thing could hardly stand, I reckon she didn't know you made it by the way she was crying” Cindy said as she came out from the dark depths of the garage, cleaning the oil off of her hands and face with a dirty rag.

“Was she hurt? Is she okay? Was she alone? Where is she now?” Nyx asked with concern as his eyes snapped back open to regard the bubbly blonde in front of him.

“The Marshal patched her up real good, sent her to Lestallum if memory serves me right. Not too sure, she just hoped on her motorcycle and took off looking all sorts of sad and miserable.”

“Cindy, can I use your phone?” Nyx desperately pleaded, he knew he had to get in touch with Nova immediately and let her know he was alive and safe.

Nyx could only begin to imagine the pain and grief Nova must be going through, he knew she would place the entire blame and guilt on herself and he was desperate to end that spiral as soon as possible.

Cindy handed him her phone without a second thought, Nyx immediately dialed Nova's number. It rang and rang to no avail, calling again it was the same endless ringing. Nyx slowly paced the length of the parking lot, praying and begging for Nova to answer.

After six unanswered calls and six voicemails left, Nyx finally gave up. He knew Nova was in Lestallum and if she was there, then that meant she had definitely exiled herself from the world to the confines of their townhouse.

“Thanks Cindy" Nyx said with a sigh as he passed the device back to the mechanic, “can you fill the bike up? I need to hit the road again.”

* * *

 

Lestallum was far more overpopulated than the last time Nyx had been to the city. Displaced refugees from Insomnia littered the streets in search of places to stay and jobs to work, it was almost an ironic twist for the Galahdian man who once was looked at with disdain for being a refugee in their city.

Nyx hastily weaved his way amongst the congested stalls of the marketplace, the ramshackle of a townhouse stood as a tall and bright beacon to the man in the faraway corner of the bustling market.

He came to an abrupt stop as a sudden shooting pain and what felt like sprinting in to a solid brick wall connected with his jaw, leaving Nyx disoriented and stumbling as he was violently drug against his will to a nearby stone wall by his neck and the collar of his ragged Kingsglaive jacket.

“You're supposed to be dead" came a deep growl in his face as Nyx regained his compose, fiercely glaring back at the amber eyes that looked down at him, a large and strong hand was firmly placed against his chest to keep him tightly pinned on the cobbled wall.

“Yeah, well it didn't take" Nyx angrily snarled back as he pushed the larger man off of him, he was not in the mood to deal with Gladiolus and his temper when he was so close to reuniting with Nova.

“Novie is a fucking mess because of you. She thought you died Ulric, that you left her all alone, pregnant and fucking miserable.”

“I did die” Nyx snapped back as he attempted to make his way past the hulking frame of the young Shield. The hesitant grasp around his arm gave Nyx a moment of pause to regard the confused and unsure expression on the younger man's face.

Nyx could see Gladiolus processing his words as he scanned the tattered and beaten appearance of the Hero, of the fresh scars that turned his arm an ashy grey and crawled up his neck and face.

Nyx was confident that if anyone in all of Eos had looked as though they that had been delivered to hell in a hand basket and back again, it was him.

“I'll explain later, I need to get to Nov's and let her know I'm alive" Nyx said with a sigh as he shook his arm free from the loose grip of Gladio.

“She's not here, she went to Galahd. So you got plenty of time to start explaining yourself Ulric.”

* * *

 

It was an uncomfortable situation for the Galahdian man to be placed in, sitting in a hotel room surrounded by four younger men and explaining in detail the gruesome sensations of dying, the empty nothingness of being dead and then the crushing weight of being thrown back in to a beaten and broken body that had practically been disintegrated.

There was no interruptions during Nyx's telling of the Fall of Insomnia, all of the men sat attentively with wide eyes and slack jaws.

They were in awe at Nyx’s heroic feats, enraged at the betrayal of the Kingsglaive and astonished at his resurrection.

“Dude, as if you weren't a certified badass already, that totally just solidified it!” Prompto eagerly squealed as he bounced on his shared bed with Noctis.

Nyx waved a dismissive hand at the blonde and shook his head, “I can't take any credit for coming back, that's all on Nov's and the favor Astrea has shown her.”

“I recall reading of such a God in the Galahdian tales section at the Citadel library, though if I remember correctly it was just a mere children’s story" Ignis said, handing Nyx a much needed bite to eat, even if it was a simple bowl of creamy bisque.

Nyx nodded at the Advisors correct statement as the soup slowly began to rejuvenate and energize him, “it is, or was. A few years ago, me and Nov's found out it wasn’t as much of a fairytale as I grew up believing, that's how she got the headpiece she always wears. Anyways, we told Regis and Cor but they instructed us it was for the best if we remain silent about it.”

“Typical, another lie my father kept hidden from the world" Noctis angrily mumbled under his breath as he leaned back on the bed he was sitting on with Prompto.

All of the younger men dropped their heads and looked away from the young King as a hushed and awkward silence filled the room, the only sound to be heard was that of the metal spoon Nyx held being scraped along the bottom of the porcelain bowl as he devoured his bisque. Pushing the dish aside.

Nyx let out a deep satisfied sigh before turning his attention to his brother-in-law and ending the uncomfortable stillness that had settled in the suite.

“Noct, your father did what he had to in order to keep the peace for the greater good of the citizens. You have no fucking idea the lengths a man will go to if it means protecting his family.”

Nyx's words were heavy on the young King’s shoulders and gave him the Gods honest and resounding truth given the glaive spoke from the personal experience of him willing dying to protect Nova.

“Now that I've told my ridiculous fucking story, can someone _please_ let me use their Gods damn phone to call Nov's?” Nyx said with a slight chuckle and a slightly forced lopsided grin.

All four men instantly reached for the devices in their pockets, a plethora of phones ended up on the table in front of him as Ignis cleared the empty dishes from the small coffee table.

Nyx immediately reached for the young King's phone, if Nova were going to answer any call, he was certain it would be that of her little brother. The calls all rang with no answer, Galahdian curses gracefully spewed from the man's lips as he attempted again from Gladio’s phone.

Desperate, Nyx finally called Theia, if Nova was in Galahd either she was with his mother or with Libertus and he knew Lib was notorious for ignoring calls from numbers he did not recognize.

“Hello?” came the melodic voice of Theia after a brief ring, Nyx let out a deep sigh at her soothing tone.

“Hey Ma, it's me" Nyx hesitantly said with a laugh, standing up from his chair surrounded by the other men and walking out on to the suites balcony for some privacy.

“Nyx? Nova said you had passed away during the Fall. What have you done to yourself this time for her to believe such a truly awful thing?”

With a sigh, Nyx delved in to his impossible tale for the second time that day. The words and story seemed no less surreal but came out a bit easier, however his mother had seemed far more receptive to such an incredible tale given her familiarity of the Galahdian legends of the Goddess of Justice.

“- so long story short, that's why Nov's is a fucking miserable mess because I had to be a Hero and now I need to tell her and apologize a million times over for leaving her in such a broken fucking state” Nyx sighed with a heavy heart, his hand attempting to rub away the building pressure of stress and worry that was forming behind his weary eyes.

“I'm afraid she isn't here, she left not long ago to catch the ferry back to the mainland. If I were to guess, she's en route and has no service to answer your calls. Nyx, you make this right the moment she steps off that boat. That beautiful and amazing woman is stressed out and depressed and is carrying my grandbaby with the thoughts of being a single parent in a world where she needs to help rule a kingdom with her kid brother.”

“She told you then yeah?” Nyx said with a slight chuckle at his mother's exasperated tone, he was confident that if she was there with him now, Theia would have given him a solid smack to the back of his head for leaving Nova in such a predicament.

“Yes she told me, something my own son didn't have the decency to do before sacrificing his life to the Old Kings.”

“Sorry Ma, I was kind of preoccupied with trying to save the city.”

“Well that clearly didn't pan out, so you should have called before you died.”

“Ma, you are so fucking dramatic and I love you so fucking much for it.”

“I love you too Nyx. Now, fix this shit and don't fucking die again please.”

Nyx gave a genuine laugh in to the phone at the sound of his mother's calming and soothing voice cursing, it was out of character for Theia and had only slipped through her cracks on the specific occasions Nyx had truly done something stupid to infuriate her.

This particular situation would definitely top out the list of things Nyx Ulric had done to cause his mother severe anger and anxiety.

“You got it Ma.”

Rejoining the other men in the hotel suite, Nyx threw the phone back to the young Shield as he made for the hotel door.

“Where do you think you're going?” Gladio asked as he caught the device, blocking the exit from the older man with a raised eyebrow.

“Nov's is on her way back, I'm going to Galdin to meet her.”

“When was the last time you rested Ulric, you look like shit.”

“Does my time being dead count?”

“Nyx, if I may, you really ought to rest for a bit. When Nova returns we shall need her assistance in accompanying us in Noctis’ search and acquisition of the Royal Arms, I would assume that will now include yourself. It would be beneficial if you were both up to your full health and fighting potential” Ignis intervened in the stand off between the two stubborn men, earning a reluctant and thoughtful glance from the older man as he carefully considered and weighed his words.

“I already know where they are" Nyx replied in defeat as he slowly backed away from the immovable wall that was Gladio and the exiting door behind him but not before shooting the young Shield a final annoyed glare.

Flopping back in to the chair he had previously occupied, Nyx rubbed his face once more. He was thoroughly exhausted, a fact he could not deny and clearly could not hide from the men surrounding him.

“You left Novie messages, she'll know you're alive the minute she steps off the boat" Noctis casually said, reading the torn and conflicted expression on Nyx’s face.

“Yeah dude, plus we’re totally going to need you if you already know where the royal arms are. It'll make our lives _way_ easier with your help.”

“How do you know that anyways?” Gladio suspiciously asked, confused as to how Nyx would have that information and yet him being the Shield had not been privy to their location.

“It's why me and Nov’s were deployed off and on for the last few years. Regis asked Nov's to keep it a secret" Nyx quickly glanced to Noctis as the younger man huffed and rolled his eyes at learning his father had kept yet another thing from him. “Regis thought if you knew, you would feel guilty about what your sister was being put through in order to become your Sword.”

A moment passed between the men, determined steel blue eyes looked in to the wavering cerulean blue ones. Eventually Noctis nodded in understanding, too often had he felt a great burden had been placed on his older sister, had he known about her own collection of the royal arms he was fairly confident his conscience would not have been able to handle it.

“Can you confirm the existence of one such royal arm laying hidden behind a waterfall here in the Cleigne region? We were preparing to depart in search of it before Gladio stumbled upon you” Ignis asked with genuine curiosity.

Nyx groaned initially as his tired head dropped in to his torn hands at the thoughts of the frozen hellscape he vividly remembered trekking through with Nova, loathing every moment he had spent in the dark underground that froze him to his very core.

“Greyshire Glacial Grotto. Yeah, there's one in there" Nyx dejectedly grumbled, earning curious and confused stares from the surrounding men.

Nyx stood up again and stretched his stiff muscles, “alright, let's get this shit over with. I'm going home to change and then we're getting in, out and back to Lestallum before Nov's returns. Got it?”

“Shouldn't we wait for Novie?” Noctis asked with an unsure look to the older man from under his mop of dark bangs.

“Nov's isn't getting anywhere near that artic hell. She's pregnant and I'm not risking it. Also, I'm going to need to borrow a weapon. Lost mine in the Fall.”

Nyx left with a wave over his shoulder at the stunned and speechless men he left behind him, except for Gladio who only snorted and rolled his eyes at Nyx’s casual drop of Nova’s pregnancy.

Returning to the men looking a little less grimy and not covered in blood, sweat and soot, Nyx reluctantly sank down in to the cramped back seat of the Regalia between Noctis and Gladiolus.

“Did you really need to wear that jacket when it's already a tight squeeze?” the young Shield huffed as Nyx casually threw up the fur lined hood over his face and leaned back, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

“Kid, you have no idea how necessary this damn jacket is" Nyx said with a laugh, snuggling in to the tight down-filled parka coat that belonged to Nova, the sweet smell of her tropical shampoo still clung to the inner hood and soothed the man in to a restful and peaceful state.

Nyx had fallen asleep long before Ignis even had a chance to turn the ignition of the car.

Snickering and smirking to himself throughout the entire glacial grotto as he listened to teeth chattering around him from the shivering men, Nyx was comfortably and confidently taking the lead in their expedition through the frigid cavern.

“There's more daemons in here than the last time I came through" Nyx commented as he patiently waited for the younger men to catch up to his position after sliding down an icy trail.

He flipped the daggers he had borrowed from Ignis in his hands as he eyed a horde of nearby imps, testing the weight and feel of them in his grasp before he sliced in with a slight sigh, he already missed his own evenly balanced and lethally sharp kukris.

With Nyx having a vague familiarity with the layout of the Greyshire Glacial Grotto, it had taken the royal retinue half the time to reach the tomb as it had Nyx’s first journey through with Nova.

The young and inexperienced men had also benefited in battle from the acclaimed war veteran assisting in their fights, providing aid to his struggling comrades and turning the tides on the enemies that attacked them.

The men were in awe of Nyx’s battle prowess, even Gladiolus could not help but to give credit to the glaive who was a sheer force to be reckoned with, even without the powers of the King on his side.

“You would’ve done half decent in the Crownsguard Ulric” Gladio said with a chuckle as he looked to the older man with genuine respect as the men trudged to the exit of the frigid cavern.

Nyx promptly snorted at the notion as he continued to lead the charge, “yeah, if I never wanted to step foot on a battlefield. No offense kid, but the guard was a bit too cushy for my blood.”

“And what about now? I'm certain your expertise would be a valuable asset to Noctis against the Empire" Ignis said loudly as the rushing sound of the nearby waterfall grew louder with each determined step the men took.

Nyx turned around long enough to raise an eyebrow at the young Advisor and the even younger King, earning a slight shrug and smirk from the Lucis ruler.

“I mean, it wouldn't hurt to have someone with your kind of _veteran experience_ around.”

Nyx scoffed and rolled his eyes at the smirking and snickering young King, knowing full well his brother-in-law was taking a direct shot at the decade age difference between them.

“Seeing as the Kingsglaive is non-existent, I guess I have no better options. Someone needs to watch over your ass with that kind of sloppy footwork and that hack job you seem to think are sword skills" Nyx said with his own snicker, immediately earning sharp glares from both the King and his Shield.

“Hey, the ground was icy and slippery.”

“All I'm hearing is excuses little King.”

Both Noct and Gladio's phones chirped the moment the group of men stepped out from the hidden depths of the glacial grotto, Nyx immediately snapped his gaze to either of them for an explanation, praying that it had been Nova who had contacted them.

“Hey Big Guy, saw you called. What's up? I'm back on the mainland and heading back to Lestallum now” Gladio said as he read out loud the message he had received. Noctis confirmed that the text he had received was nearly identical, with only who it was addressed to being changed.

Nyx cursed in a fluid mixture of Galahdian and Lucian, the messages from Nova had made it abundantly clear that she had not listened to any of the voicemails he had left it.

“Iggy, give me the keys so we can get the _fuck_ back to Lestallum” Nyx demanded with a clear expression across his face that he was not in the mood to be trifled with or questioned as his grey blue eyes cut daggers in to the unfazed Advisor.

Ignis gladly and wholeheartedly dropped the Regalia keys in to the outstretched and waiting hand of Nyx without any hesitation, a decision he very quickly regretted.

The Regalia had not been driven as wildly or recklessly since the night Noctis was born by the late king Regis and yet it handled the erratic speeds and turns with ease as the engine roared happily to life each time Nyx’s heavy foot floored the gas.

Ignis had to keep his eyes closed and a hand tightly locked around the car door handle while the other men enjoyed the fast and furious pace Nyx set in his mission to return to Lestallum and more importantly to Nova.

Nyx haphazardly parked the Regalia in the first available spot he came across, much to the dismay of a certain Advisor who bit his tongue in annoyance at the situation but was understanding and sympathetic to the older man's plight.

Sprinting through the crowded and congested alleyways of Lestallum without a farewell to the younger men, Nyx attempted not to push and shove his way through the people that hindered and delayed his reunion with Nova.

The moment the rundown townhouse came in to view with lights in the window he was certain he had not left on, it had spurred Nyx's remaining few paces with an adrenaline rush he did not know his body was still capable of after all he had recently gone through.

Nyx cursed as he heavily slammed in to the unexpected locked door, continuing the slew of vulgar words as he fumbled to find his keys amongst his pockets.

Excited and shaking hands unlatched the door as he immediately stepped inside, only to be greeted with a sharp and excruciating pain instantly spreading in his shoulder.

“Son of a fucking bitch!” Nyx growled as he grinded his teeth, looking down to see a dagger firmly embedded up to the hilt in the same shoulder the elder couerl had shocked him in years ago.

With a sudden sharp and deep breath, Nyx groaned in seething agony as he ripped the blade cleanly free from his body, his knees grew weak with the pain and his vision blurred from the tears that lined his eyes.

“Fucking sweet almighty Shiva on a stick Nov's, I figured I had definitely pissed you off, but I didn't think you'd want me dead again so soon” Nyx uncomfortably chuckled as he looked to the expression on his wife's face, it was a fine mixture of horror and confusion that made his heart explode as he never thought he would be graced with seeing her beautiful face again.

The slight laugh sent a sharp wave of burning pain shooting through his chest and body, Nyx's knees threatened to give out as he grimaced and grinded his teeth more, clutching at the gash to stop the blood that freely flowed from the open wound.

He carefully watched as Nova’s eyes went from a cloudy grey to a crystal clear blue, Nyx could not help but give her a large lopsided grin despite the pain he felt at being reunited with the woman who was his home and family.

“Nyx?” Nova's voice hesitantly and shakily asked as she slowly rose from the couch, with unsteady and unsure steps, she approached him with large bewildered eyes that clearly did not believe what she was seeing.

“Sorry to keep you waiting my star” Nyx said with a slight chuckle as his closed the distance between them, his hand reached out to cup her soft face in his rough hands.

His finger found his marker of the scar that ran along her jawline as he lifted her chin and lips up to eagerly crash in to his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I ever mention that I have a Nyx tattoo on my wrist and this fic always has been and always will be about my boy who deserved better?🙃


	34. The Princess & The Glaive

_“How beautiful it is to wake up and love you all over again.”_  
_-JH Hard_

 

With arms hanging limply to either side of her body, Nova stood motionless in the quaint living room of her townhouse, her jaw slack with wide and unfocused eyes as strong arms held on to her tightly, slowly crushing the air out of her lungs from the intense grasp.

Despite the hot and humid temperature that scorched through Lestallum, her skin and blood ran cold as Nova’s mind ran a mile a minute, trying to understand and yet refusing to accept the sight of her husband alive and well standing in their doorway when she awoke.

Despite her face being smoothed in to the chest of the man she loved who she knew fell with Insomnia, every fiber of her being reject the wild notion of it being real.

Nova had dreamt for endless nights of being reunited with Nyx, of seeing his charming lopsided grin and passionate grey blue eyes jump to life as he looked at her, of hearing his deep voice and hearty laugh, to have him in her reaches once more.

It was a fleeting fantasy that haunted her every morning she woke up to a cold and lonely bed feeling empty and hallow, yet now she was wrapped in his strong embrace again and she could not comprehend how it could be possible.

She knew the lethal price that was to be paid for wielding the Ring of the Lucii for those that did not possess her royal blood, she knew the King's of Old always followed through on the deals they made with vengeance.

She tried to pull away, she tried to shake away his embrace in an effort to guard her heart and fragile emotions against false hope, despite the very real kisses being placed on top of her head.

Nyx's soft and gentle voice cut through the internal conflict that was rampaging through Nova's mind, bringing her back to reality and rejuvenating her like a crisp Galahdian breeze.

“I'm so sorry Nov's. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere. I'll never leave you again”

It only took a moment for Nova's weak walls to come crumbling down, she desperately latched on to him, suddenly terrified that if she were to let go of him for even a second, that he would disappear like a mere figment of her imagination that she still slightly believed him to be.

Nova's heart felt as though it was going to explode in her chest as it quickly and heavily beat against her ribcage. She did not know if she was crying tears of joy or sorrow or shock, either way a steady stream was rolling down her cheeks, only to be kissed away by Nyx as quickly as they appeared.

The feeling of his rough and chapped lips against her own renewed more than any potion or elixir ever could. The strong and passionate kiss mended the pieces of her heart she thought would be broken for a lifetime. It was her light at the end of a dark tunnel, a sudden breath of fresh air after weeks of drowning.

It was too good to be true for Nova to believe, yet each gentle kiss or tender touch sent a jolt to her brain that he was there, that she was not dreaming or imagining Nyx being with her like she had been in the weeks since The Fall.

“I love more than anything my star” Nyx softly said as he finally pulled away from Nova, his charming lopsided grin dropped as he saw the hurt and pain behind Nova's crystal blue eyes.

With foreheads pressed together, Nova's brows wrinkled in concern as her fingers delicately traced the ashen skin and fresh magical burns that creeped up along his chiseled and scruffy jawline, scarring his rugged features.

“Nyx..” Nova softly said as her gaze followed the burns that ran from Nyx’s neck to hairline, her fingers not far behind touching the newly scarred flesh.

“It looks worse than it feels Princess, or at least it does now. Sorry I'm looking a bit worse for wear” Nyx said to his wife’s worried expression with a slight snort and half hearted grin.

“You're just as handsome as the day I met you and the day I married you Nyx” Nova sincerely replied, her pains gaze unflinching as she spoke.

Nyx rubbed a hand over his own grey blue eyes as they began to line with tears, it broke his heart to think of what he had forced Nova to endure without him.

Nova looked to Nyx in confusion as a trail of blood suddenly lined his rugged features from where he had rubbed his face. It only took a second for her to finally remembered the dagger wound she had inflicted on her unsuspecting husband when he had entered their townhouse.

“Fuck, oh Gods.”

Without hesitation, Nova immediately pulled Nyx over to their couch, summoning a curative to her hand as she assisted him in the gentle removal of her now bloody and ruined parka.

“Nyx, why are you wearing my jacket?” Nova asked with genuine confusion as she threw the parka in to a bloody pile by the door.

Nyx gave a hearty laugh as the sensation of the elixir that had been cracked over his shoulder could be felt running freely through his veins, healing and mending the broken and battered body of the newly reborn glaive.

“Princess, do I ever have a fucking story for you” Nyx mumbled as he let out a long and deep moan as the spell worked it’s magic and made his body whole and revitalized for the first time since before his premature death.

Nyx closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the couch as the relieving feelings of the elixir pleasantly coursed through him, coming to an abrupt halt as a sudden and hard pain slammed in to his arm and jolted him back to reality.

“Nyx Ulric, you Gods damn _fucking_ idiot. You have some serious fucking explaining to do.”

“I deserved that" Nyx groaned as he rubbed his suddenly sore bicep from where Nova had punched him, slightly grimacing as he glanced to Nova’s crossed arms and stoic expression with an uncomfortable crooked grin.

With a slight sigh, Nova dropped her tough façade as she rose from the couch with Nyx’s hand tightly clasped within her own, pulling the man up with her.

“Let’s get you cleaned up first though” she said with a slight sheepish smile as she quickly glanced at the still dripping blood stained shirt that clung to Nyx’s toned chest.

“Trying to get me naked already Princess, that didn’t take long" Nyx replied with a large lopsided grin and wink as he easily followed his wife up the creaky stairs of their townhouse, earning a well needed eye roll and smirk from her.

Nova stayed silent as she ran them a bath, her mind still trying to comprehend and process the fact that she was reunited with Nyx while her heart soared with happiness at the thought.

When Nova finally turned to face her husband once more she was met with a sight that left no doubts in her mind of the price Nyx had paid. Her eyes went wide as she scanned his bare torso, the extent of his ashy grey skin and burns told Nova more of what Nyx had endured than any words could ever say.

Nyx gave a slight shrug and lopsided grin at Nova's distressed gaze, closing the distance between them in one large step, he brushed away her concern with a long and soft kiss to her forehead.

“C'mon" Nyx softly said as he stepped in to the hot and soothing bath, Nova's hand in his to coax her to join him, a request which she eagerly obliged to.

Crawling in to Nyx’s lap and leaning her head against his chest. Her heart felt whole again as Nyx tightly wrapped his arms around her body and placed tender kisses to her hair.

“Now, I know the Kings of Old didn't just let you off the hook for wielding their stupid ring and Gods damn power.”

Nyx gave a hearty laugh as he repositioned Nova in his lap, laying back in the large soaking tub with her body on top of his, rubbing mindless designs down her arms and through her long stands of hair that clung to her wet body.

“No my star, they are a bunch of heartless old bastards that have been trapped in that ring for way too fucking long” Nyx said with an uneasy chuckle as he vividly recalled their ghastly silhouettes staring down upon him, judging his worth in possessing their power.

Nyx was absolutely confident that image would haunt his dreams the same way the Kings of Old haunted the ring of the Lucii.

His third retelling of his changed fate had been the easiest with Nova, she had been there with him through most of the Fall and was thoroughly familiar with Astrea, given the headpiece and favor the God had bestowed on her.

Nyx told Nova of his frantic efforts to be reunited with her after regaining consciousness in the ruined city, Astrea's ethereal form hovering over him as he came back to life as well as her haunting words. He told her of his journey to the glacial grotto to assist her brother in his efforts to retrieve his own set of royal arms and how he had agreed to become part of the young kings Crownsguard retinue.

Those stories had been easy to tell, with Nova silently absorbing and hanging on to his every word in unbelieving wonder. The hardest part for Nyx as he explained his incredible story was apologizing for his actions, justifying why he had sacrificed himself to the woman who had been the one to truly suffer through the consequences of his decision.

His own personal turmoil over the choice to sacrifice his life had ended with the rising sun on that fateful day, while Nova's lingered and festered within her in the weeks since.

Had Nyx not returned from the grave, it was hard for him to say how many more weeks, months or years Nova would have had to grieve with her pain as she single-handedly raised their child, who would be a constant reminder of his absence in her life.

“Can you forgive me?” Nyx softly whispered in to Nova's hair as they continued to cuddle in the now lukewarm bath.

A soft wind rustled through the open window beside them, the spicy smells of the marketplace wafted in, mixing with the sweet and tropical notes rising from the bath. Laughter and music from a nearby pub casually floated in, it was the only sound to be heard as Nova remained quiet.

Nova carefully regarded his words for a moment before responding, listening to the strong and steady beat of Nyx’s heart that grew faster and louder the longer she did not answer, the sound brought Nova a sense of peace she had been confident she would never get to experience again.

Her head slowly lifted from Nyx’s chest, Nova's calm crystal blue eyes met with his pained and stormy grey blue ones.

“Nyx, you destroyed my heart" Nova said softly with a deep sigh.

A flash of worry raced behind Nyx’s eyes as he sucked in a sudden breath, fear that the damage he had caused was too much for Nova to forgive him.

“Nov’s, I-" Nyx began to hurriedly say, a soft smile and a shake of Nova's head stopped his words as quickly as they had began.

“But, you also made me so incredibly proud of the man you are, even though I fucking missed you every second of every day. I know what you did couldn't have been an easy choice, but you didn't hesitate, didn't even flinch.”

“You have no idea how fucking hard it was my star" Nyx replied with a strained chuckle, earning a slight smile from Nova as he ran his fingers over her woven locks.

“Still, you did what you had to do for the greater good, for our family. I can't forgive you because you did nothing wrong Nyx. Now, that being said, so fucking help me, with the Gods as my witness, if you ever try and bargain your life away, I'll do the honors of killing you again myself.”

Nyx could not contain the hearty laugh that genuinely shook through his body as he held a giggling Nova tightly against his chest.

“Trust me Princess, I don't plan on leaving the world of the living again any time soon.”

“I'm holding you to that Nyx. Don't make me ask Gladio to help me raise our child" Nova said with a pointed look, the corners of her lips slightly twitching as Nyx snorted in response.

“You and our kid aren't going to be calling anyone else daddy, I promise you that Princess" Nyx quickly replied with a wink and a chuckle, earning a genuine laugh from his wife.

Nyx scooped Nova up in his arms in one swift motion as he rose from the bathtub, the squeal of laughter that escaped her left a large lopsided grin on his face as he sat her feet on the cool tiles, draping a large towel around her bare body.

“Now Princess, under normal circumstances I’d say we deserve a fucking drink for what we've been through, but since that isn't on the menu for you, what can I get for you two?” Nyx asked with an excited crooked grin, his grey blue eyes lighting up in wonder as he gently placed his calloused and scarred hand on Nova's small yet growing bump.

“Spicy sirloin skewers wouldn't go astray” Nova sheepishly said with a slight shrug as she dried herself off.

“That's my boy, he’s a Galahdian through-and-through.”

“It could be a girl, and maybe she wants something sweet for dessert too.”

“Nope, that's definitely all you my star. Dinner and dessert for my family is coming right up" Nyx eagerly said as he placed a heartfelt kiss to Nova's lips.

Sprinting to their room before Nova even had time to register his movements, Nyx was dressed and out the door, his footsteps light and quick as he made his way through the busy crowds and towards his favorite vendors in the market with a sense of purpose and urgency.

Nyx returned to the townhouse as quickly as he had left, two takeout bags filled to the brim with the finest Galahdian cuisine Lestallum had to offer.

A large lopsided grin spread across his rugged and scarred face as he saw Nova comfortably tucked in to the couerl pelt on their leather couch, lights dimmed and a movie set to play.

Nyx easily positioned Nova’s back against his chest as they hunkered down for the remainder of the night with their impromptu meal, he found himself effortlessly falling in to the familiarity of their relationship without missing a beat.

Nova finally felt at ease, her life whole and feeling herself again in a world that had constantly tried to break her down during the previous weeks. Between the Fall of Insomnia, the death of her father and husband, and thoughts of helping her baby brother rule a broken and under siege kingdom, Nova needed a win and it being the resurrection of Nyx was better than she could have ever expected.

The movie quickly became a lost thought, the background noise blocking the escalating moans from unsuspecting neighbors, the screen lighting up the curves of each other’s bare bodies as they passionately tore in to one another with a flurry of longing kisses and eager bites.

* * *

 

Nova was certain she had fallen asleep on the couch, yet when she awoke in her bed to a strong arm wrapped around her waist, she could only faintly smile and sink deeper in to the embrace.

Nyx pulled her closer as she stirred, softly kissing her hair as Nova's face hide under the covers and in to his chest.

“Your brother's body guard texted me, my star, I have to leave soon” Nyx quietly mumbled, his voice raspy and thick with sleep as he sunk further in to the covers with Nova in an attempt to avoid the inevitable call to duty he was quickly regretting signing up for.

“No…” Nova grumbled, her own arm and leg slinking around Nyx's torso, weakly pressing his body closer to hers. “You just got back.”

“And I'll be back again soon. It’s just a quick trip to the meteor and back, it’ll be a walk in the park.”

“I’m coming to then.”

“There's not enough room in the Regalia my star.”

“I'll take my bike.”

“Not happening Princess. As long as you're pregnant, you and my little bean are staying the fuck out of danger.”

“Hmph, coming from the only one here who has successfully died" Nova bitterly retorted as she attempted to roll away, her efforts sabotaged by Nyx who locked her within his strong grasp.

“Nov's..” Nyx sternly replied, it was a tone he very rarely took with Nova, reserved for the only far and few instances where he would remain unwavering in his choice regarding her.

“Fine, but it better be quickly and easy" Nova sighed in defeat, earning a reassuring squeeze and forehead kiss from the protective man.

Nyx reluctantly crawled from the safe and warm confines of their bed and away from the tempting and comfortable grasp that was his wife. With a heavy heart and a stiff body, Nyx slowly dressed in the late morning sun that crept through the open window above their bed.

The familiar sound of something being crystallized drew Nyx's attention back to his wife, an eyebrow quirked in curiosity quickly gave way to an excited and appreciative look.

“I can't be there to protect you, but at least my blade will be" Nova said with a wink and chuckle at the same words he had said to her years before as she passed the weapon to the open and waiting hand of her husband.

Nyx masterfully spun the Galahdian made blade in his hand, the well known weight and feel of the kukri in his hand brought a large and eager grin to his rugged features.

“Princess, I fucking love you. The daggers I borrowed from Ignis just weren’t doing it for me” Nyx said as he skillfully spun the lethal weapon in the air before catching it.

“I'll look in to getting you another one while you're gone, I think I know a guy” Nova said with a yawn as she curled back in to the blankets without a single ounce of regret.

Nyx strapped his kukri to his back as he bent down to meet Nova’s soft lips, “I love you more than anything my star and I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“I love you too Nyx, come home to me safe and sound please” Nova said, her voice small and laced with worry as her hand reached up to lightly trace the burns on Nyx’s face.

Kissing the palm of her hand, Nyx gave her a wink and flashed the largest lopsided grin he could muster, “I'll always come back when I know you're waiting for me Princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously dropped the ball on this over the summer and I'm so sorry for the sudden hiatus! I've had half of this chapter written for quite some time now but I kept struggling with writing it yet knowing and having the entire fic more or less planned out in the larger scale of things.   
> I'll try to update more frequently again, I promise I'm no where done with this bad boy yet!!


End file.
